The number of locations around the world said to be haunted by a ghost (or ghosts) is almost infinite. Virtually every city, town, battlefield, or famous building has its associated ghosts and any attempt to describe them all would be futile. The following list is a collection of some of the more famous ghosts and haunted houses.
Alcatraz: This federal prison, located on an island in the middle of San Francisco Bay, is said to be inhabited by a number of ghosts, relics of its fairly violent past. Beatings, murders, fights, and riots were common, and many prisoners went insane. The alleged hauntings include screams, shouts, the sound of running feet, clanging noises, and voices. One cell, 14-D, used for solitary confinement, is said to always be very cold, even on the warmest days.
The Amityville Horror: Possibly one of the most famous hauntings in America, this alleged case of demonic possession has since been proven to be a sensationalist hoax. Amityville is located on Long Island, in New York state. In 1974 the house was the site of a mass murder, in which 23-year-old Ronnie DeFeco killed his parents and four siblings. In late 1975 the Lutz family moved in and bought the house.
In early 1976 the Lutzes left the house, reporting a 28-day nightmare of terror. They alleged the house had been plagued by (among other things) clouds of flies, hooded figures, poltergeist activity, sickness, slime on the stairs, and foul smells. Other manifestations included a devilish pig-like creature named "Jodie," dreams about the murders, voices and -- strangest of all -- a small secret room under the stairs, painted blood red.
The novel The Amityville Horror, written by Jay Anson and published in 1977, became an instant best seller. A film of the same name was released in 1979. Amityville II: The Possession and Amityville: The Final Chapter followed the original book. These three books purported to chronicle the Lutzes' attempt to escape demonic forces plaguing their lives.
Skeptics were quick to point out serious discrepancies in the books, including incorrect weather reports, misnamed organizations, and attribution of a burial site to an Indian tribe that lives nowhere near the area. Anson himself made little effort to verify the account and based most of the book on telephone interviews. Psychic researchers had difficulty accepting the account. Although the mass murder was certainly an excellent catalyst for a haunting, the events described by the Lutzes were far more dramatic than any occurrence described before.
Following the Lutzes' abandonment of their house, a new family moved in. This family reported nothing unusual about the house and eventually sued the Lutzes in annoyance over being hounded by publicity-seekers and the curious. The Lutzes were also sued by a local priest for invasion of privacy and by Ronnie DeFeco's lawyer. One of the Judges presiding over the case declared the Lutzes "...during this entire period were considering and acting with the thought of having a book published." The Lutzes lost the suits brought against them by the new house residents and the local priest.
Borley Rectory: "The most haunted house in England," the Borley Rectory was a small brick building built in 1863 some 60 miles northeast of London. Supposedly, the Rectory stood on the grounds of a medieval monastery that had been the scene of a love affair gone bad, resulting in the deaths of a nun and two monks. The Rectory was also said to be haunted by a phantom nun and a phantom coach with horses.
In 1929 noted psychic researcher Harry Price arrived, intent on investigating the Rectory and its alleged spirits. For the next nine years Price was in and out of the Rectory, cataloging strange events and paranormal experiences. He listed instances of telekinesis, strange sounds, voices, writing on the walls, broken objects, foul odors, banging doors, spooked animals, strange footsteps, and unusual lights. He documented all of these events in a book entitled The Most Haunted House in England: Ten Years' Investigation of the Borley Rectory.
The Rectory burned down in 1939 and was never rebuilt. After Price's death in 1948, allegations were made that many of the events at the Rectory may have never really occurred at all, or may have been a result of Price's own actions. It is known Price lied about his origins and family and many of his claimed supernatural experiences were exaggerations or hoaxes. At the very least, it should be noted a great many of the strange happenings at the Rectory only seemed to occur when Price was there to record them.
Brown Lady: The Brown Lady is a ghost that allegedly inhabits Raynham Hall, located in Norfolk, England. She gets her name from her usual appearance, a woman wearing brown brocade. The identity of the Brown Lady is unknown, although it is believed to be Lady Dorothy Townshend, who lived in the hall in the early eighteenth century. Reports of the Brown Lady go back for more than 250 years; her most famous witness was Prince Regent George IV. The Brown Lady was photographed in 1936, and expert examination of the resulting photo revealed no evidence of fraud or tampering.
Flight 401: In 1972 Eastern Airlines Flight 401 crashed into the Florida Everglades killing 100 passengers, as well as captain Bob Loft, flight engineer Dan Repo, and other crewmembers. In an effort to save costs, Eastern recovered the plane, a L-1011 jumbo jet, and salvaged the parts to repair other L-1011's in the airline's fleet.
Soon after the salvage plan was put into motion, reports began to filter in stating the ghosts of Loft, Repo, and other dead crew had been seen on planes which had received parts salvaged from Flight 401. Repo appeared most often, fixing an oven circuit, performing preflight checks, giving warnings of problems before they occurred, pointing out complications with the circuitry or hydraulics, and generally seeing to the safety of the plane, passengers, and crew. Loft often appeared in the first-class section and is said to have made announcements about seat belts and smoking over the public address system.
Unable to explain the hauntings and having difficulty getting crews to talk about what they had seen, Eastern had all the salvaged parts from Flight 401 removed from service.
Flying Dutchman: The most famous ghost ship of them all, the Flying Dutchman has its roots in both Dutch and German legend. In the most common telling of the legend, a sea captain attempts to sail around the Cape of Storms (now called the Cape of Good Hope), regardless of the consequences. Frustrated by bad weather, the captain swears he will round the Cape, even if it takes forever. The captain fails in the attempt and is condemned to sail around the Cape for eternity, an omen of misfortune and disaster for any who sight him and his ship.
There are many alternative legends, including one in which the captain loses his soul dicing with the devil. Another states that every seven years the captain can come ashore, and if he can successfully woo a maiden, his curse will be lifted.
Glamis Castle: A Scottish castle, Glamis was built in the fourteenth century and has been inhabited ever since. As can be expected of such an old structure, Glamis is rife with alleged hauntings and may have more supernatural legends associated with it than any other building in all of the United Kingdom. Glamis is also said to be the home of a monster, a vampire, and several ghosts. Finally, the castle is said to have more exterior windows than can be located from the inside.
According to legend, the monster associated with Glamis Castle is the 11th Earl of Strathmore. Born deformed, with an egg-shaped body, tiny arms and legs, and no neck, the child was sealed away into a secret chamber and left to die. Despite this treatment, he supposedly lived for a very long time; he is said not to have died until the early 1920s, despite his birth in the early 1800s. Although this story has never been proven, it is known there is some sort of secret chamber hidden deep within the castle. In a similar story, the Glamis Castle vampire is said to be a servant girl caught drinking the blood of her victim. She was sealed up alive within the secret chamber as well.
The number of ghosts associated with the castle is staggering. The list includes: "Earl Beardie," the fourth Earl of Strathmore, who wanders around the uninhabited tower; gray ladies (see entry under "Assorted Ghosts from Around the World" later in this article) in the chapel; a tongueless woman running about the grounds; a thin man who runs up the castle drive; a black boy -- possibly a servant -- who sits outside the Queen Mother's sitting room; a sad-eyed woman who clutches at an upstairs window; and a tall figure in a long, dark cloak. A woman wreathed in flames has been seen above the clock tower; it is presumed this is the ghost of Janet Douglas, who was burned at the stake in 1537. During storms, another ghost stalks a portion of the roof called "The Mad Earl's Walk." Alleged ghostly phenomena include sounds of swearing and stamping from the abandoned tower; a door that opens every night, regardless of how it is secured; hammering sounds; knocking noises; and bed clothing being pulled off of guests.
Finally, Glamis Castle is believed to be the scene of two murders: that of King Malcolm II, an eleventh century Scottish king, and that of King Duncan, the king from Shakespeare's Macbeth. However, it is highly unlikely either murder occurred at Glamis, especially since Malcolm lived some 300 years before the castle was built.
Ocean-Born Mary: Ocean-Born Mary is a six-foot-tall, red-haired, green-eyed woman, alleged to haunt a house in Henniker, New Hampshire. She is said to be the ghost of Mary Wallace, who was the housekeeper for at least 40 years. Ocean-Born Mary is known to be protective of the house and anyone who dwells within. She is said to open the door for guests, turn on the lights, and warn of potential disasters.
The house Mary haunts also has its share of mysteries: it was home to a former pirate, who was found murdered in the garden and was eventually buried under the hearthstone. The hearthstone is also said to be the location of a substantial treasure, although legend states anyone trying to dig it up will suffer some sort of fatal accident.
Phantom Hitchhikers: The Phantom Hitchhiker is a well-known and widespread ghost story. Reports of Phantom Hitchhikers (or other vehicle passengers, such as taxi cab or bus passengers) are reported from around the world, but seem to be most common to the United States. It most cases the legend runs like this:
A man is driving along a lonely back road late at night. He suddenly spots a woman, often dressed in white, standing at the side of the road. The man pulls over and offers to give the woman a lift. The woman accepts, and it just so happens her destination is the same town the man is heading to. The man then offers to drive the woman home. Along the way he may give her his coat, especially if it has been raining and the woman is wet. The woman is usually very beautiful, but very quiet and withdrawn and barely says another word. As they arrive at the woman's home, the man turns to look at her and is bewildered to find she has vanished. Undaunted he continues to the address given. There he speaks to the residents of the house and is amazed to hear the woman was killed on this same night some time ago. The spot where the man picked her up was the location of her murder or fatal accident. If the man then goes to visit her grave, he will find his coat (if he had given it to her) draped across the tombstone.
There are many variations to this story with the details usually depending on the region. In Japan, for example, there are many stories of phantom taxicab riders. Hitchhikers are not the only phantoms reported. Ghost ships, cars, trains, monks, nuns, and animals have been reported the world over. Phantom travelers and vehicles usually only appear for a short time and vanish once a specific location has been reached. Most haunt only a specific area and appear periodically. In many cases the phantoms are harbingers of some sort of disaster or tragedy.
Screaming Skulls: A screaming skull is a skull that seems to be emotionally attached to a house. Usually the person to whom the skull belonged asked to be buried within the walls of the home in order to rest in peace. If removed from the home, the skull will protest, causing strange noises, accidents, bad luck, storms, fires, and the failure of crops. The skulls also seem to be able to return to their desired place of rest regardless of any attempt to dispose of them. If left alone, however, the skulls are content and quiet.
Versailles Ghosts: One of the most famous accounts of a possible ghost encounter, the alleged Versailles haunting occurred in the summer of 1901. The location of the haunting was Petit Trianon, a house and grounds constructed between 1764 and 1771 at the request of King Louis XV.
On August 10, 1901, Eleanor Joudain and Anne Mobery visited Petit Trianon. After losing their way walking from Grand Trianon to Petit Trianon, the two Englishwomen passed through a garden and entered into a dream-like atmosphere. Everything looked flat and two-dimensional, while the air was very still and oppressive. After wandering about and approaching the house, the two women witnessed a number of people dressed in period clothing. A few years later, when the two returned to Petit Trianon, they were unable to find any of the landmarks they had seen on their initial visit.
Joudain, on her very next trip to Petit Trianon, once again felt the same oppressive atmosphere and sighted more people dressed in period clothing. She also heard music. Other reports of hauntings from Petit Trianon have occurred over the years. In many cases the sightings are of people dressed in fashions consistent with the court of Louis XV.
Experts are divided about the authenticity of the case. It has been pointed out that Petit Trianon is a public park and people often come dressed in the proper clothing for the period during which the home was used by the French court. Others note the details given by some of the viewers are very consistent with known facts about the people who lived and worked at Petit Trianon in the late 1770s.
The Virgin Mary: Visions of the Virgin Mary have occurred in uncountable instances over the years, but very few are considered authentic by the Catholic Church. Appearances by the Virgin Mary are commonly accompanied by the sound of a heavenly choir, music, singing, bright light, and the miraculous healing of injuries and illnesses. The majority of visitations by the Virgin Mary have taken place in Europe, with one of the most famous occurring in Lourdes, in France. Lourdes is now the site of one of France's largest churches and receives six million visitors every year.
Winchester House: The Winchester House is a sprawling mansion covering more than six acres and is located south of San Francisco. It was built over a period of 36 years at the request of Sarah Winchester, heir to the Winchester rifle fortune. The house features 2000 doors, 160 rooms, 47 fireplaces, 40 staircases, and many hidden rooms and corridors. The number 13 predominates as a design element, with rooms having 13 windows and staircases having 13 steps.
According to legend, Sarah built the house as a home for the spirits of all those who were killed by a Winchester rifle. She held sŽances in two rooms built specifically for the purpose of contacting ghosts and threw dinner parties for herself and 13 ghostly guests. After her death, the house passed to Sarah's niece and is now a tourist attraction.
Acheri: Indian ghosts said to be those of little girls, acheri are said to dwell on the tops of mountains and will come down into villages at night, infecting victims by casting shadows over them. Protection from the acheri is achieved by wearing an amulet made from red thread around the neck.
Apparition: An apparition is the presence of a dead or living individual. It is not normally a visual image, but instead manifests as an unseen presence; thumps, moans, rappings, animal sounds, and unusual odors are all signs of the visitation of an apparition. Visual apparitions may be virtually indistinguishable from a real person, hazy and transparent, or simply a blob of light. An apparition may be able to speak, or may only gesture. Strange smells and a sense of cold often accompany an apparition. Apparitions are usually only seen once, and may either vanish suddenly or fade away. They are normally insubstantial, although some witnesses have reported feeling a cloth-like substance when trying to touch an apparition.
In general, an apparition seems to appear in an effort to call the viewer's attention to a situation. It might appear to signal the death of the person the apparition represents; to pass on information; to warn the viewer of danger; or to comfort the viewer.
Ba: The legend of the ba is found in the beliefs of the ancient Egyptians. It is part of the soul that remains with the body after burial. The ba will leave its tomb at night to wander about, but will return to its original body at daybreak.
Banshee: This female spirit is found in the legends of both Ireland and Scotland. An omen of death, it is usually associated with certain families and appears to announce the death of a family member. It does so by singing or crying sorrowfully, not wailing as is commonly thought. Normally invisible, the banshee sometimes appears as a woman dressed all in white or red, with long hair. Banshee may also be spelled ban-sidhe.
A variation of the banshee is the bean-nighe. Said to be the spirit of a woman who died in childbirth, the bean-nighe foretells a person's doom by appearing next to a stream, washing the victim's bloodstained clothing in the water.
Bhut: A bhut is a ghost found in India. It is usually the ghost of a man who died by accident, execution, or suicide. The bhut can be detected by the fact they speak with a nasal twang, have no shadows and avoid burning turmeric. They can be avoided by lying flat on the ground. The bhut is also known as a bhuta.
Corpse Lights: A corpse light is a small bobbing light and is considered a death omen in various cultures. The lights are usually blue, red, or white, appear indoors or out, and may either hug the ground or float in the air. Corpse lights are called canwll corfe in Wales, as well as corpse candles, corposant, fetch-candles, fetch-lights, jack-o'-lanterns, ignus fatuus ("the foolish fire"), liekkš, Min-Min lights, Quinn lights, and will o' the wisps.
In Welsh legend a small corpse light indicated the death of a child, while a large light indicates an adult. Multiple lights foretell the death of a group. Other lights are believed to be the spirits of the dead, doomed to wander the earth. These lights are usually malicious and seek to lure a traveler to his doom. In some parts of Africa, legend describes the lights as being given off by witches flying through the air. Certain tribes of Native Americans assign the lights to a "fire demon." Australia has Quinn lights, which travel in circles before vanishing, as well as Min-Min lights that appear in graveyards and wander among the gravestones. Finnish folklore states the lights are the spirits of children buried in the forest. In Germany the lights are called Irrlicht and are believed to belong to either a forest spirit or a ghost that follows an unseen funeral procession. Swedish legend states the lights are the souls of unbaptized children who try to lure travelers to water.
As many corpse lights appear in marshy areas, it is speculated that the lights are caused by methane emissions (i.e. "swamp gas"). Other explanations include atmospheric disturbances, electrical phenomena akin to ball lightning, and fluctuations in the Earth's magnetic fields.
Domovoy: This Russian ghost is very similar to a poltergeist (see below). It can be noisy and troublesome, but if treated with respect the domovoy will do household chores while everyone else is asleep.
DoppelgŠnger: DoppelgŠnger is a German word meaning "double-goer." It refers to an apparition that appears upon the death of a person. In rare occasions it might appear to someone before they die, but normally it appears to relatives or friends of the victim at the moment of death. The doppelgŠnger is also known as a co-walker, fetch, fye, swarth, task, waff, or wraith.
Duppy: A West Indian ghost, the duppy can be summoned by a ritual that includes tossing coins and a glass of rum onto a grave. The duppy will rise from the grave and can be sent out to cause havoc. The breath of the duppy brings illness, while its touch brings on fits. Considered the personification of all the evil found in men, the duppy is quite willing to cause harm, but it must return to its grave at daybreak. If prevented from returning to its grave, the duppy is rendered harmless. Keeping the duppy at bay is achieved by placing tobacco seeds at the doors and windows of a home.
Ekimmu: This Assyrian ghost is the spirit of one denied entrance to the afterlife, created when one dies in a violent manner and leaves an unburied corpse. An ekimmu can also be created if a corpse is uncared for, or if the corpse's surviving family doesn't honor the proper funeral rites. Fated to wander the earth, the ekimmu will attach itself to a person or family, and will cause anything from minor troubles to death.
Forso: The forso is a ghost found in New Guinea and the nearby islands. They appear to harass members of their former tribe either because they are bored or because they feel they aren't being sufficiently honored. Although the forso can't be seen, it can be detected as an unearthly presence. The forso expresses its displeasure by bringing bad luck to village inhabitants, but can be placated by openly displaying the skeletal remains of those who have died.
Gaki: According to Japanese Buddhist lore, a gaki is the reincarnated ghost of one who suffered from an overabundance of greed for food, drink, and material wealth. Gaki appear as thin, emaciated beings with narrow necks, wide mouths, and immense swollen bellies. Possessed by a never-ending hunger, gaki will feed on sounds, smells, wasted food and drink, and other symbols of excess. They also are noted to have a fondness for human flesh. Gaki are closely related to the preta (see below) of Buddhist Indian folklore.
Gray Ladies: These are the ghosts of women who died for the sake of a loved one. They appear as women dressed in gray clothing, although they may also be dressed in black, brown, or white. Gray ladies are reputed to haunt a house in a desire to be reunited with a loved one.
Imandwa: Similar to the forso of New Guinea, an imandwa is an ancestral ghost found in Tanzania. An imandwa will appear if it feels it isn't being honored properly by its former tribe, coming out at night to cause trouble.
Kachina: A kachina is normally used to refer to any number of masked figures found among various Native American cultures of the American Southwest. Within the Hopi culture, the term kachina can refer to an ancestral spirit of the dead. Those who live a proper Hopi life will go west when they die, living in the San Francisco Mountains located near Flagstaff, Arizona. They return to the Hopi as clouds and are often asked to bring rain. The Hopi have several hundred different kachinas, each with different name, costume, and identifying mask. However, a specific kachina doesn't represent a specific spirit of the deceased.
Keres: A keres is an ancient Greek spirit of the dead. It is a spirit that has escaped from its pithos, or funeral jar, and now exists to harass the living. Sticky tar smeared on doorframes is used to catch a keres at which point they are exorcised with a specific ritual.
Kuei: This Chinese ghost only appears a night. It will show up dressed as if it were still alive, although if it is the ghost of a suicide it will be wearing a red handkerchief. The approach of a kuei can be easily detected, as any nearby candles will burn green and the ghost is said to lack a chin.
A kuei can be created when someone dies by violence, commits suicide, or if a women dies while pregnant or during childbirth. The ghosts of suicides are said to be the most dangerous, but all such ghosts can be scared off by use of firecrackers.
Lares: According to the beliefs of the ancient Romans, lares are the good spirits of the ancestral dead. They will take up residence in the family home, where they are worshipped and given food offerings with every meal. The evil spirits of the dead are called lemures.
Larvae: A larvae is an evil spirit of the dead. The ancient Romans believed that larvae exist to bring harm to the living. They are closely related to lemures.
Lemures: The ancient Romans called the ghosts of those who die without surviving family or who die violent deaths lemures. Lemures may also be created when a person drowns, is executed, or dies prematurely. Black beans are burned to prevent a lemure from rising from the grave, and beating a drum can exorcise an active lemure.
Manes: A spirit of the dead in ancient Rome. In general, manes refers to any dead spirit, as well as the underworld and its various inhabitants.
Preta: The preta is a ghost found Buddhist beliefs. It is spirit from the hell of Hungry Ghosts, cursed to its current existence until it has worked off all the bad karma it has accumulated during its life. A preta is easily recognizable by its constricted throat and bulging belly. The preta is a close relation of the Japanese gaki (see above)
The preta is also found in Hindu folklore. It is a tiny ghost that remains with the corpse for a year until certain rites are performed to send it to the heavens. A preta may also be the ghost of a child or a crippled person.
Radiant Boys: A radiant boy is the glowing ghost of a young boy, said to have been murdered by his mother. Stories about such ghosts are common in Europe and England, especially in the Cumberland area. Such ghosts seem to be related to the German Kindermorderinn, which are the ghosts of children who have been slain by their mothers.
Rusalka: This Russian ghost is said to be the spirit of a young woman who haunts the area of the river or stream where she drowned. It may also be the spirit of an unbaptized child, an unwed mother, or a female virgin. The rusalka come in two varieties: rusalka of the south Russia are beautiful, with long hair and well-endowed figures, those of the north are hideous to look at and go about naked. Both will attempt to seduce or waylay men to take as their lovers, before killing them.
Tarneq: The tarneq is a ghost found in the folklore of the Eskimo. Tarneq are often found as helpers to an angalkug, the Eskimo shaman.
Wraith: A wraith is another name for a ghost and is derived from the Old Norse word všrthr, meaning guardian or watcher. It is commonly used to refer to supernatural presences similar to an apparition or a doppelgŠnger.
Yurei: The common name for a whole host of Japanese ghosts, a yurei is created when a person is killed unexpectedly, usually through murder or suicide. It will then remain active until properly laid to rest, driven by the need to avenge itself. Yurei are normally depicted as wearing a white (the color of mourning in Japan) kimono with a funerary headband and having long, wild hair. Yurei can be also be identified by their lack of feet, as their lower bodies just fade away.
Return to Hero System Source Material