Previously: El Juego De La Ventana.

How much do you know about music boxes? Me, I was surprised to find that they’re a more recent invention than I would have thought: The earliest music box is thought to have been created around the 1770s in Switzerland. I was, however, not surprised to find that there’s at least one ritual game involving a music box floating around out there. It goes by the name the Shadow’s Lullaby Game, although you might also just think of it, as I do, as simply the Music Box Ritual.

What is the Shadow’s Lullaby Game or the Music Box Ritual for, exactly? It’s mostly an information-seeking game, although if performed correctly, it will only provide players with the answer to a single question. Precision of language matters here; the more specific your question, the better. Leaving room for interpretation may cause… unexpected results.

[Like what you read? Check out Dangerous Games To Play In The Dark, available from Chronicle Books now!]

Some caveats about this one: I’ve only ever seen it one place, and only once in that place. That one place is TikTok, in a video from user @the.edge.of.darkness posted at the end of May 2024.

The video is made using a text-to-speech program — no actual humans are either depicted or heard in it — and both the written and spoken script have errors that suggest… well, something going awry somewhere. Think word choice errors, wherein the word used has similar sounds to what would have been the correct word, but very different meanings: “Either” used instead of “gather,” for instance. I’m not sure whether that’s a result of, say, a bad automatic transcription tool at work, or something else, but, well, I thought it was perhaps worth bringing up.

There are also some discrepancies within the instructions themselves, which again could be the result of simple poor choice or unclear language, but could also have been an error caused by a machine somewhere.

(These are curious problems to have within a game whose success is predicated in large part on the precision of language.)

In any event, there are still some interesting things at play here. The Shadow’s Lullaby Game/Music Box Ritual is a doable ritual game that isn’t too complicated and doesn’t require loads of hard-to-get supplies to play; additionally, I do love a ritual game tied to specific dates, lunar phases, etc., and this one ticks that box, as well. As such, I’ve made an effort to clean it up, address the errors, and plug up some plot holes.

Will this game work? Probably not.

Still, though:

As always, play at your own risk.

Players:

• One principal.

Requirements:

• A black candle.
• Matches or a lighter.
• A music box — old, if possible; antique, ideally. (See: Additional Notes.)
• A small hand mirror.
• A time-keeping device.
• A lunar calendar.
• Salt.
• A dark, quiet room with at least one north-facing window, and a windowsill large enough to hold the hand mirror.
• A question — just one, no more, no less. Something to which you wish to know the answer.

Instructions:

Making The Preparations:

1. First, determine when you will play: Consult a lunar calendar or almanac and identify an upcoming night on which there will be a new moon. You may choose any upcoming new moon. When you have identified this date, mark it in your own calendar or set a reminder for yourself. This is the date on which you will play.
2. Now, wait until the night of this new moon arrives.
3. While you wait, use the time to gather together your supplies and choose a suitable room to use as your playing space. If there are multiple north-facing windows inside the room, choose one to use during the course of the game.
4. On the night of the new moon, prepare yourself and your supplies and go to the location in which your chosen playing space is situated.
5. Consult your time-keeping device.
6. At 2:22am, enter the room you have chosen to use as your playing space, bringing all supplies and requirements with you.
7. Close the door behind you.
8. Close all the windows in the room.
9. Draw the curtains or otherwise cover the windows such that no light from the outside is visible inside the room.
10. Turn out the lights.
11. Place the mirror on the sill of your chosen north-facing window and position it such that it reflects the room — and the room’s darkness — back at itself.
12. Using the salt, draw a circle around yourself — and the remainder of your supplies — on the floor in the center of the room. Make sure the circle is large enough for you to sit inside comfortably, facing the window.
13. Place the black candle inside the salt circle at the northernmost edge.
14. Make sure the music box is with you inside the circle, within easy reach.
15. Is it?
16. Good.
17. Are you seated comfortably?
18. Good.
19. Now: Light the candle.

Playing The Music:

1. Pick up the music box, but do not open it. Keeping the music box closed, wind it three times. You MUST turn the key three full revolutions.
2. Do NOT open the music box.
3. Hold the music box in your left hand.
4. Do NOT open the music box.
5. Remain seated, facing the window, inside the salt circle.  
6. Close your eyes and speak aloud the following words: “By shadow’s edge and moonless night, I seek the truth: Reveal your sight.”
7. Keeping your eyes closed, repeat those words aloud two more times, for a total of three recitations.
8. Now: Open your eyes and look at the mirror.
9. Do not move, no matter what you see.
10. Do not speak, no matter what you see.
11. Remain silent, no matter what you see.
12. Remain still, no matter what you see.
13. Now: Pay attention to the music box, but do NOT open it, and do NOT look away from the mirror.
    • If the music box remains silent: The ritual has failed; do not proceed. Refer to Emergency Procedures (see below) and enact the appropriate procedure. For you, the game ends here.
    • If the music box begins to play on its own: The ritual has succeeded; you may proceed.
14. You may now ask one question, and one question only. Do NOT look away from the mirror while the music still plays.
15. Look. Listen. Take in the answer to your question, however it presents itself.
16. Look, and listen, and remain still and silent until the music ceases to play.

Ending The Song:

1. When the music box falls silent, it is time to end the game.
2. Speak aloud the words, “I renounce the shadows.” Then, extinguish the candle.
3. Place the music box on the ground.
4. Exit the room, closing the door behind you.
5. Keep the door to the room closed until the sun has risen.
6. Once the sun is up, return to the room and clear up your supplies. Dispose of the candle and the mirror. Place the music box somewhere safe.
7. Did you learn what you wanted to know?

Additional Notes:

Due to the use of candles and open flames, this game should be considered a fire hazard. Should you choose to play, it is recommended that you exercise commonsense fire safety precautions, including removing flammable items from the area, ensuring you have one or more fire extinguishers available and within easy reach, etc. We are not responsible for anything that may befall you, should you choose to play this game.

Regarding the hand mirror: In order to perform its intended function, the mirror must be able to stand up on its own. A compact-style pocket mirror, opened at a right angle and set upon the windowsill to look out over the playing space, is ideal.

Regarding the music box: Although this game may be attempted with any music box, it is recommended that any attempts made utilize an old music box — ideally one considered an antique. Should you not achieve the desired results using a new or newer music box, it is suggested that you acquire an older music box, should you wish to try again.

Additionally, the music box should be a box — the kind with a hinged lid that can open and close, and which causes the music to play only when the box is open.

Emergency Procedures:

Should any of the following situations occur, please enact the associated emergency procedure.

• If, in Playing The Music: Step 13, the music box remains silent: Speak aloud the words, “I renounce the shadows”; then extinguish the candle. Exit the room and close the door behind you. Do not return to the room until the sun has risen. You may try again another time, if you wish. If you do, it is recommended that you use a different music box.
• If, at any point, the candle flickers, but remains lit: Speak aloud the words, “I renounce the shadows”; then extinguish the candle. Exit the room and close the door behind you. Do not return to the room until the sun has risen. You may try again another time, although it is not necessarily recommended that you do.
• If, at any point, the candle extinguishes itself: Exit the room immediately and close the door behind you. Do not look back. If possible, vacate the premises entirely. Do not look back. Do not open the door to the room until the sun has risen. Do not return to the room at all until the sun has risen. Ideally, do not return to the location itself until the sun has risen. Dispose of the mirror, the candle, and the music box as far away as possible. Do NOT try again another time — not ever.

Failure to enact emergency procedures when required may result in less-than-desirable outcomes. Proceed with caution. Proceed at your own risk.

A Final Warning:

Remember:

The answer to your question had to have come from somewhere.

It had to have come from someone.

And even if you successfully close out the game — that doesn’t necessarily mean that they’ve left.

In fact, if you ever hear the music box play again… you’ll know for a fact that they haven’t.

***

Follow The Ghost In My Machine on Bluesky @GhostMachine13.bsky.social, Twitter @GhostMachine13, and Facebook @TheGhostInMyMachine. And for more games, don’t forget to check out Dangerous Games To Play In The Dark, available now from Chronicle Books!

[Photos via Zlouiemark45546, Museumsinsulaner/Wikimedia Commons, available under a CC BY-SA 4.0 Creative Commons license and/or public domain; frankieleon/Flickr, available under a CC BY 2.0 Creative Commons license]

Source: https://theghostinmymachine.com/2025/02/17/the-most-dangerous-games-the-music-box-ritual-or-the-shadows-lullaby/

Across history artists have painted scenes that tell stories of spirituality, mythology, and even moments of strange and unexplained phenomena. While today’s UFO sightings are often caught on camera some UFO enthusiasts believe that evidence of extraterrestrial encounters and UFO’s are recorded in centuries-old art.

Strange orbs, beams of light and strange objects appear in several historical paintings but are these just symbolic elements representing divine or celestial beings or could they be early depictions of UFO’s and extraterrestrial visitations?

Let’s take a look at some of these historical masterpieces that could show that UFO’s and Alien’s have been visiting us throughout history.

The reason I decided to write this article is because I have recently been watching Investigation Alien, the new UFO documentary series on Netflix where renowned investigative journalist George Knapp reveals the findings of his 30-year quest on investigating UFO’s and brings forward never before seen evidence. Its quite a good show, I would recommend watching it if you can.

In the second episode they head to Brazil to look at the famous UFO attacks that where happening in the 1970’s where it was reported that UFO’s were firing beams of light at people, injuring them and leaving marks. There was even an official investigation carried by the Brazilian Air Force named Operation Saucer.

Hearing of those witness accounts of UFO’s firing beams of light at people reminded me of the ‘Annunciation with Saint Emidius’ famous painting whereby it looks like it shows a UFO firing down a beam of light. You can take a look below, third image down.

The Madonna with Saint Giovannino by Domenico Ghirlandaio

Date: 15th Century

This Renaissance painting is perhaps one of the most famous works said to include a UFO-like object. Painted by Domenico Ghirlandaio or his workshop, “The Madonna with Saint Giovannino” features the Virgin Mary and child with Saint John gazing at her in adoration. Yet in the background there’s an object hovering in the sky that appears disc-shaped and radiant with a man and his dog looking up at it in amazement.

This detail has intrigued UFO enthusiasts for years as it bears a striking resemblance to modern UFO descriptions. Art historians however suggest it may represent an angel or a divine apparition rather than an extraterrestrial craft.

The Baptism of Christ by Aert De Gelder

Date: 1710

Dutch painter Aert De Gelder’s “The Baptism of Christ” is another artwork often cited by UFO theorists. The painting shows Jesus being baptized by John the Baptist while an unusual, glowing, disc-shaped object hovers above. The object emits a radiant beam of light that illuminates Jesus, seemingly coming from what we would now describe as a UFO.

De Gelder was known to experiment with light and its symbolic meanings in art and many art historians believe this to be a representation of the Holy Spirit or God, but still, the unusual depiction continues to fuel speculation among UFO enthusiasts about its otherworldly inspiration.

The Annunciation with Saint Emidius by Carlo Crivelli

Date: 1486

Carlo Crivelli’s “The Annunciation with Saint Emidius” is another Renaissance painting that has drawn attention for its intriguing detail. The painting depicts the angel Gabriel announcing to the Virgin Mary that she will bear the Son of God. A circular disk, which some interpret as a UFO, hovers in the sky and emits a beam of light onto Mary.

Historians argue that this disk represents a celestial phenomenon symbolizing the descent of the Holy Spirit but the detailed of the disk-like shape stirs theories that the artist may have been inspired by a UFO-like object. This is the painting that I remembered about while watching Investigation Alien, the UFO’s firing beams of light at the Brazilian people.  Eerily similar!

Triumph of Summer Tapestry

Date: 1538

This Flemish tapestry, “Triumph of Summer,” shows a procession of people beneath a sky filled with what appear to be disk-shaped objects. Many people consider these floating disks to be look suspiciously like UFO’s given their distinct shape and arrangement.

The interpretation varies with some suggesting that these could be symbolic representations of astronomical bodies or supernatural elements. Others speculate that they represent a meteor shower or clouds. Whatever the intent, this tapestry is one of the earliest known artworks to contain imagery that resembles modern day accounts of UFOs.

Israel, Put Your Hope in the Lord by Jan van Eyck

Date: Early 15th Century

Jan van Eyck, a pioneer of early Netherlandish painting, created various works filled with intricate details and symbolism. In one lesser-known piece, some viewers believe that Van Eyck subtly included strange orbs in the sky which resemble UFOs.

Although art historians argue these are likely celestial or spiritual symbols, they contribute to the growing body of UFO speculation surrounding historical art. Van Eyck’s skillful use of light and shadow often leaves room for different interpretations, making this an intriguing piece to examine.

In each of these art works the strange UFO like shapes could be nothing more than symbols of divinity or spirituality as art historians suggest. During these times artists used the sky to show divine messages or cosmic symbolism. Yet, the UFO like appearance of these objects fuel the theory that these could be actual eyewitness depictions that have been passed down through generations and encoded in art.

Did these artists actually witness mysterious objects in the sky or were they even inspired by stories and legends of cosmic visitors?  I guess we may never know for sure.

What is your take on these?

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The post Famous Historical Paintings That Show Mysterious Unidentified Flying Objects appeared first on Paranormal Globe.

Source: https://paranormalglobe.com/2024/11/12/famous-historical-paintings-that-show-mysterious-unidentified-flying-objects/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=famous-historical-paintings-that-show-mysterious-unidentified-flying-objects

Previously: Mercy Brown, Vampire.

What’s the best way to make sure library books make it back onto the shelves from whence they came? Fines? Late fees? Chaining books to the shelves so they can’t leave in the first place? I mean, sure, all of those strategies have been used in the past (yes, including the chains) — but none of them are quite as effective as a method that was particularly popular during the medieval era: Book curses.

They’re pretty much what they sound like — curses emblazoned in the fronts of books and manuscripts promising varying degrees of mayhem to be unleashed upon those who would dare consider stealing those books or manuscripts — but the devil, as they say, is in the details: Some of those curses are… let’s call it creative. Really creative. So creative, one can’t help but want to explore the subject a bit more.

[Like what you read? Check out Dangerous Games To Play In The Dark, available from Chronicle Books now!]

So let’s do that, shall we?

Ancient History: The Early Centuries Of Book Curses

Although book curses were arguably at their height during the medieval period, they’re actually much older than that: They’re literally ancient. The oldest surviving book curse dates back to the seventh century BCE. More specifically, it can be placed between the years of 668 and 626 BCE, as it protected the library of Ashurbanipal, who was king of the Mesopotamian civilization of Assyria at that time. His library in the city of Ninevah is widely acknowledge as one of his most important achievements.

This library, of course, did not consist of books printed on paper, but rather of clay tablets. Most of the tablets that have since been recovered bear the following inscription (emphasis mine):

“The palace of Ashur-bani-pal, king of hosts, king of Assyria, who putteth his trust in the gods Ashur and Belit… I have transcribed upon tablets the noble products of the work of the scribe which none of the kings who had gone before me had learned, together with the wisdom of Nabu insofar as it existeth [in writing]. I have arranged them in classes, I have revised them, and I have placed them in my palace, that I, even I, the ruler who knoweth the light of Ashur, the king of the gods, may read them. Whosoever shall carry off this tablet, or shall inscribe his name on it, side by side with mine own, may Ashur and Belit overthrow him in wrath and anger, and may they destroy his name and posterity in the land.”

As Marc Drogin wrote in his absolutely essential 1983 book Anathema! Medieval Scribes and the History of Book Curses, “destroy his name” meant much more than “the simple of ‘being forgotten.’” The written word, then new and astonishing, meant that the words themselves held an almost incomprehensible weight. Observed Drogin:

“The name of a god was that god. In religious processions, the carrying of his written name constituted his actual presence. To erase anyone’s name was not to remove the recollection of him, but to cause him to have ceased to exist.”

As such, continued Drogin, “Ashurbanipal … was offering to have his gods not only kill the transgressor, his children, and their children, but void no less than the existence of his ancestors. This is indeed ‘rage and fury.’”

There’s something of a gap in the history of book curses here; although a handful of papyrus rolls that seem to have their own curses written by Greek or Roman scribes have been recovered, the curses are fragmented and difficult to discern.

A complete curse does exist, however, in a papyrus roll dating back to somewhere between the first and third centuries CE and containing the third and fourth books of the Illiad. The curse reads:

“I am the guardian of the letters.

The reed pen wrote me, the right hand and the knee.

If you lend me to someone, take another in exchange.

If you rub me out, I will slander you to Euripides. Keep off.”

I like this one very much, for what it’s worth. It is extremely funny to me: “If you damage this scroll, I’m gonna go tell on you to ancient and extremely dead tragedian Euripides. So there. Thhhhbpt.” Not overwhelmingly threatening, perhaps, but still. In the parlance: Sick burn, my dude.

Don’t Make Me Go Medieval On You: Book Curses In The Medieval Era

In any event, we do eventually get to the medieval era, which begins roughly around the year 500 CE and goes to about 1500. At this time, we have books bound in parchment, rather than clay tablets or papyrus scrolls; however, we don’t yet have the printing press — or at least, we won’t have it until the very end of this period — which means that each book must be written out and illustrated by hand, work typically carried out by scribes and artists working within monasteries. Books are, as a result, costly to make and very valuable.

Naturally, this means that libraries, which largely tended to be housed at monasteries, had a great deal at stake when it came to the books on their shelves. Numerous methods to ensure the safekeeping of these volumes were subsequently employed, including the previously mentioned chains, as well as book chests — chests that, well, held books, some of which also included chains.

By far the most popular method, however, was one that relied entirely on both societal and metaphysical fears: Curses. Inscribed within the first pages of the books themselves — in the colophon, as it’s called — the medieval version of a book curse could threaten anything from excommunication to the eternal damnation of your soul.

The idea pushed by the curses, of course, was that if you mistreated the book in any way — damaging it, losing it, or otherwise failing to return it in its original, pristine condition — you would be cast out of the community, die horribly, burn in hell for all eternity, or any combination of the above. Powerful stuff during a period in which the Church could, and often did, have control over every aspect of the average person’s life and livelihood, no?

Medieval book curses could be quite brief, as in the instance of a ninth century manuscript from the Monastery of Lyons, which read, in the Latin, “Si quis furetur, anathematis ense necetur” — or, in English, “May the sword of anathema slay/ If anyone steals this book away.”

Similarly, a circa 1381 manuscript of the Harmony of the Gospels kept at Evesham Abbey, contains this little gem: “Morteque Malorum: raptor libri moriatur,” or, “Death from evil things: May the thief of this book die.”

They could also, however, be longer — and, as such, much more creative. (Brevity may be the soul of wit, but sometimes, a couple of extra sentences can be pure magic.) Consider the manuscript known as the Arnstein Bible (circa 1172), which bears a curse reading, in the Latin:

Liber sancte Marie sancti que Nycolai in Arrinstein Quem si quis abstulerit Morte moriatur in sartagine coquatur caducus morbus instet eum et febres et rotatur et suspendatur Amen.”

Or, in English, per the British Library’s medieval manuscripts blog:

“A book of [the Abbey of] SS Mary and Nicholas of Arnstein: If anyone steals it: may he die [the death], may he be roasted in a frying pan, may the falling sickness [i.e. epilepsy] and fever attack him, and may he be rotated [on the breaking wheel] and hanged. Amen.”

The frying pan bit is a nice touch. Well done. Full marks for especially vivid imagery.

At their most descriptive, we also have curses like this one, found within a manuscript believed to date back to the 13th century collected within the Vatican Library:

“Explicit iste liber

sit scriptor crimine liber.

Non videat Christum

qui librum subtrahet istum.

Hunc qui furetur

 anathematis esse necetur

Ut me furetur

qui nitatur exoculetur.”

Or, in English:

“The finished book before you lies;

This humble scribe don’t criticize.

Whoever takes away this book

May he never on Christ look.

Whoever to steal this volume durst

May he be killed as one accursed.

Whoever to steal this volume tries

Out with his eyes, out with his eyes!”

Just magnificent. Makes you think of the end of the Grimms’ version of “Cinderella,” or Alice In Wonderland’s Red Queen screaming “OFF WITH HER HEAD!”

The Book Curse In The 20th Century And Beyond

With the invention of moveable type in the 11th and 13th centuries in China, and the Gutenberg printing press in Europe circa 1450, books became much, much easier — and cheaper — to produce. As such, threats of excommunication, death, and damnation weren’t required in quite the same way to ensure the care and keeping of library books… but that doesn’t mean they died out altogether. Indeed, by the early 20th century they were considered traditional, and could therefore still be found at the beginnings of many volumes.

As Lauren Alex O’Hagan wrote in her 2020 article “Steal Not This Book My Honest Friend: Threats, Warnings, And Curses In The Edwardian Book,” published in the journal Textual Cultures, the Edwardian era “marked a high point in the history of the book in Britain.” Both literacy and access to books was on the rise, thanks to advances both educational and technological — including the development of public libraries.

Class conflict, too, however, was on the rise, the tensions of which can be seen in book inscriptions in general, and book curses in particular. A clear indication of ownership — and, therefore, a tangible clash between those with more socio-economic privilege than others — an Edwardian inscription could be something as simple as “This book belongs to…” or “If lost, please return to…”; or, it could be significantly harsher, albeit still with an air of biting wit.

Sometimes, Edwardian book curses read less like curses and more like insults. Consider this sharp little rhyme, which O’Hagan found written inside a book by a 10-year-old boarding school student:

“Black is the raven,

Black is the rook.

But blacker the person

Who steals this book.”

Or, they might be words of caution, meant to appeal to a potential book thief’s better nature, as in this rhyme, which O’Hagan notes is the most common book curse in use during both the Victorian and Edwardian eras: “Steal not this book, my honest friend,/ For fear the gallows should be your end.”

Other times, though, they maintain the threatening aura popularized in the medieval era. Threats could be physical, as in this curse: “The pillory with ye, should this book fail to return to me!”

(This is a pillory — it’s related to the stocks, if that term means anything to you.)

Or, the threats could be more metaphysical, as in this commonly-found rhyme:

“This book is one,

And God’s curse is another.

He who takes one,

God give him the other.”

Put more plainly: Steal this book and God will curse you.

In the modern day, book curses are all but forgotten — although I’d argue that they actually have persisted, albeit in slightly altered forms. The Goosebumps tagline, for instance? “Reader, beware; you’re for in a scare”? That reads an awful lot like a book curse to me — except that, rather than warn readers off from the book, it’s meant to entice them and draw them in.

Or consider our very own Most Dangerous Games tagline here at TGIMM: “As always, play at your own risk.” Again: It’s meant to entice you. To draw you in. Not to warn you off, but to engage you.

There is, after all, a fine line between a blessing and a curse.

Tread lightly.

…Or else.

Further Reading:

Anathema! Medieval Scribes And The History Of Book Curses by Marc Drogin. If you only read one thing about book curses, it should be Drogin’s book. Despite having been published many decades ago at this point, it remains the most essential work on medieval book curses to date.

Interestingly, Drogin was not an academic by trade; he was primarily an artist, illustrator, and graphic designer, as well as a journalist. In the 1970s, he began studying medieval calligraphy — makes sense, given the importance of lettering in graphic design — eventually publishing his first book, Medieval Calligraphy: Its History And Technique in 1980. In the course of his research, he began encountering book curses — and, as is common for researchers who stumble upon something odd or unusual while looking into something else (hi, hello, it’s me, your friendly neighborhood Weird Stuff researcher), became, in a word, obsessed.

This, of course, led to even more research, which eventually resulted in this book. It’s great — a terrific read, highly informative yet still very approachable.

Drogin passed away in February of 2017 at the age of 80.

“Protect Your Library the Medieval Way, With Horrifying Book Curses” by Sarah Laskow Atlas Obscura. Want a quicker overview of Drogin’s work? Try this Atlas Obscura article. It’s basically a brief introduction to it, published in November of 2016, just a few months before his death. It’ll give you a good jumping off point.

“Steal Not This Book My Honest Friend: Threats, Warnings, And Curses In The Edwardian Book” by Lauren Alex O’Hagan in Textual Cultures. Interested in finding out more about how book curses functioned in the Edwardian era? Here’s Lauren Alex O’Hagan’s article. A historical sociolinguist with a focus on material culture, social class, and identity in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, she earned her Ph.D from Cardiff University in 2018.

O’Hagan’s primary argument in this piece is that Edwardian book curses were more performative than descriptive, which sets them apart from their earlier, medieval counterparts. It’s a compelling argument, well grounded and supported by some truly magnificent examples. The images of specific book curses that illustrate her taxonomy are particularly choice.

“Frying Pans, Forks, And Fever: Medieval Book Curses” at the British Library’s Medieval Manuscripts blog. A delightful roundup of some particularly good medieval book curses, complete with reproductions of the actual sources. Medieval books are truly works of art; it’s really something else to see them in all their glory — particularly when they’re threatening to cast you into the fires of hell by way of a frying pan. If you want a good look at some primary sources, here’s a good place to start.

“You Have Been Warned: Book Curses (And Cursed Books)” at the American Bookbinders Museum blog. Another basic overview of book curses, this piece also makes an important distinction at the end: Book curses should not be confused with cursed books. They’re entirely different beasts. Just, y’know… something to consider.

“Chain, Chest, Curse: Combating Book Theft In Medieval Times” by Erik Kwakkel at MedievalBooks.nl. Want to know more about the various other methods used to safekeep library books in the Middle Ages? Here you go.

Kwakel teaches and researches in the Library, Archival, and Information Studies program at the University of British Columbia; his area is on the history of the book, with a particular focus on medieval book design and other pre-printing press topics. His MedievalBooks.nl blog is a great resource in general — fun to read and very informative.

“9 Curses for Book Thieves From The Middle Ages And Beyond” at Mental Floss and “Top 10 Medieval Book Curses” at Medievalists.net. Friendly listicles with a handful of selected book curses. Fun, quick reads.

Pentiment (video game). Developed by Obsidian Entertainment and published by Xbox Studios, 2022’s Pentiment puts you in the shoes of artist Andreas Maler, who begins the game in 1518 as an apprentice at a Benedictine abbey in a fictional alpine village. Although he is simply meant to be a visitor to the community mastering his trade while illustrating books at the abbey, things get complicated, fast. What follows is 25 years’ worth of murder, mystery, and mayhem, all of which you find yourself needing to solve — whether you want to have been put in that position or not.

The art style of the game itself is reflective of the art style Andreas would have been producing and perfecting as he performed his work at the abbey — and although it’s set perhaps a little later than the high medieval period, it’s straddling the line between medieval and Renaissance, which  was quite an interesting time indeed. There definitely would have been books in the abbey Andreas spends his working hours at that would have boasted some creative and colorful book curses.

Something worth noting: This game isn’t exactly a murder mystery. If you’re looking for something that’ll scratch the same itch as, say, The Case Of The Golden Idol or Return Of The Obra Dinn, this… might not quite be that. Although you are ostensibly trying to solve a series of murders and other mysteries, there isn’t One Correct Answer to any of them. The game isn’t interested in that.

It’s interested in something else — in questions of morality, and guilt, and responsibility, and how we deal with and respond to our own choices and behaviors based on how they affect everyone else around us. It’s interested in truth as a social construct — which really brings into question whether truth can actually exist in any objective form at all.

Personally, I found that quite interesting, indeed — but I can understand how some might find it a bit frustrating, especially if you’re going into it hoping for a mystery-solving experience where there is a correct answer.

Pentiment is out for Xbox, PlayStation, Switch, and Steam. If you have Game Pass, it’s currently included in the subscription.

“Libraries Are Getting Rid Of Late Fees. Here’s Why That’s A Good Thing” by Scottie Andrew at CNN. In recent years, there’s been a move to do away with late fines for library books. It is, in fact, a good thing. This report underlines why. Libraries for all! Books for all! Other resources for all! Heck yes!

***

Follow The Ghost In My Machine on Bluesky @GhostMachine13.bsky.social, Twitter @GhostMachine13, and Facebook @TheGhostInMyMachine. And for more games, don’t forget to check out Dangerous Games To Play In The Dark, available now from Chronicle Books!

[Photos via Tama66, bohdanchreptak/Pixabay; Wikimedia Commons (1, 2, 3); labuero/Flickr, available under a CC BY-ND 2.0 DEED Creative Common license]

Source: https://theghostinmymachine.com/2024/11/18/creepy-wikipedia-book-curses-the-medieval-way-to-make-sure-library-books-get-returned/

Previously: The Yellow Pen And White Paper Game.

Today, we’re looking at another Japanese ritual game that reportedly teaches you how to go to another world. It’s sometimes referred to as the White Wall Game, mostly because, well… that’s the key item you use to make it all happen: A plain, white wall.

The oldest version of this game I’ve been able to find is dated 2011, although as usual, that doesn’t necessarily mean that it isn’t older; just that possible older versions are no longer accessible. The source of this 2011 version is an archived thread — probably from 2ch/5ch, judging from the format, although the actual message board isn’t identified by name — reposted over at Ameblo; as usual, it’s all very bare bones, with just a few sentences detailing how to play.

[Like what you read? Check out Dangerous Games To Play In The Dark, available from Chronicle Books now!]

Also as usual, not much has changed about this one as it has continued circulating over the years. Some versions frame it as a way to travel specifically to a 2D world, while others simply put it in the larger bucket of games meant to transport you to “another” world (whatever that “other” world might be); the rules, however, are always pretty much the same.

One thing that has changed a little bit over time is what the game is actually called. The title has traditionally been rendered in Japanese as 夢上会議愛燐応報明度 or 夢錠会議愛隣応報明度 — that is, it’s named for the chant you’re meant to repeat during the core gameplay. A handful of sources also provide a pronunciation guide for this phrase, rendering it in hiragana — which is phonetic — as ゆめじょうかいぎあいりんおうほうめいど or ゆめじょうかいぎあんりんおうほうめいど; however, when the game is named, it’s never using this particular rendering of it: It’s always in kanji. When it began being included in roundups of ritual games that purport to take you to another world, the now common title of the White Wall Game — or, more literally, How To Go To Another World: White Wall — started to pop up more frequently.

There’s one other thing the White Wall Game has going for it over other games that allegedly take you to another world: You can actually make a return trip from wherever you go in this one. For that reason, it might be considered “safer” than some of the other options… but, then again, “safer” does not mean “safe.”

As always, play at your own risk.  

Players:

• One principal.

Requirements:

• A quiet room in which to play.
• Inside that room, a plain, white wall.
• A glass of water.
• A time-keeping device.
• Courage.

Instructions:

The Preparations:

1. Begin prior to 3am.
2. Prepare your glass of water.
3. Keep an eye on the time. Is it still before 3am? Good. You may continue.
4. Bring the glass of water to the room in which you have chosen to play.
5. Is it still not 3am yet? Good. Continue.
6. Watch your time-keeping device closely.
7. Just before 3am, position yourself in front of the white wall inside your chosen room.
8. Place your left hand on the wall.
9. With your right hand, pick up the glass of water and hold it.
10. It is time.

The Journey:

1. At precisely 3am, chant one of the following:
   • 夢上会議愛燐応報明度, or ゆめじょうかいぎあいりんおうほうめいど (hear pronunciation here).
   • 夢錠会議愛隣応報明度, or ゆめじょうかいぎあんりんおうほうめいど (hear pronunciation here).
2. Then, drink three, separate sips of water from the glass.
3. Keep your left hand on the wall as you drink. Do NOT remove it.
4. When you have finished drinking, focus your gaze on the wall. Do NOT remove your left hand from it.
5. Keep looking.
6. Do not remove your left hand.
7. Look.
   • If you see no changes in the wall: The ritual has failed; do not proceed. Remove your left hand from the wall, clear up your supplies, and vacate the premises. You may try another time, if you like.
   • If you see a black hole appear on the wall: The ritual has succeeded; you may proceed.
8. Keep watching the hole. Do not remove your hand from the wall.
9. Keep looking.
10. Do not remove your hand.
11. Look.
12. Look, and you will find yourself in another world.

The Return Trip:

1. To return to your original world, perform the ritual again, beginning with Step 1 of The Preparations and continuing through Step 12 of The Journey.
2. If you do not achieve success, try again…
3. …Unless you do not wish to return at all.
4. You can stay here, if you like.
5. Just… be sure that’s what you want.
6. Some decisions are hard to take back after you’ve made them.

Additional Notes:

It is not recommended that you attempt this game with bystanders present.

Sources do not specify whether the wall should also be bare — that is, unadorned and without artwork, shelves, or other decorative items hanging on, placed against, or otherwise attached to it. If you attempt this ritual using a decorated white wall and do not achieve the desired results, remove the decorations before trying again.

It is unclear whether it is necessary to drink the entire glass of water in three sips, or if you need only drink three sips of water regardless as to whether you empty the glass or not. If you do not achieve the desired results with one drinking method, try again with the other.

For Best Results:

Some sources state that, although the ritual may be performed at 3am, the chances of achieving best results increase should the be performed at 2am instead.

However, these sources also state that performing the ritual at 2am is markedly more dangerous.

They do not detail how or why it becomes more dangerous… and yet, the danger is there.

Then again, the danger is always there, is it not?

Be certain of what you want before you proceed — absolutely certain.

After all — you wouldn’t want to realize too late that you’ve made a terrible mistake, would you?

***

Follow The Ghost In My Machine on Bluesky @GhostMachine13.bsky.social, Twitter @GhostMachine13, and Facebook @TheGhostInMyMachine. And for more games, don’t forget to check out Dangerous Games To Play In The Dark, available now from Chronicle Books!

[Photos via 652234, IamNotPerfect, ha11ok/Pixabay]

Source: https://theghostinmymachine.com/2024/11/25/the-most-dangerous-games-the-white-wall-game/

Ah, Jeffrey Dahmer, the man whose name alone sends a chill down the spines of even the most hardened true crime aficionados. This notorious serial killer, who took the lives of 17 young men, also dabbled in cannibalism and necrophilia.

Now, it seems, even his ghost refuses to rest in peace. Join us as we embark on a spine-tingling journey through the haunted hotspots associated with the afterlife of Jeffrey Dahmer. Grab your nightlight, and let’s explore the paranormal underbelly of America’s most infamous cannibal.

Our spectral soiree kicks off in the picturesque town of Akron, Ohio, where Dahmer’s childhood home still stands. It was here, in 1978, that he committed his first murder, bludgeoning hitchhiker Steven Hicks to death. Some believe Hicks’ spirit remains trapped in the house, haunting the Dahmer family to this day.

Neighbors have reported eerie occurrences, such as chilling cold spots, disembodied whispers, and ghastly shadows flitting across the windows. Coincidence? Or could it be the restless spirit of Steven Hicks, still searching for justice from beyond the grave? I’ll leave that to your overactive imaginations.

Our next stop is the Ambassador Hotel in Milwaukee, where Dahmer’s second victim met his grisly end. In 1987, Dahmer drugged and strangled Steven Tuomi in a room that has since become a macabre tourist destination for those who just can’t resist a taste of the morbid.

Guests who’ve dared to spend the night in the infamous room have reported feeling an unnerving presence, as if being watched by an unseen entity. Faucets turn on by themselves, and chilling laughter echoes through the halls.

Is it the ghost of Dahmer himself, delighting in the terror he continues to inflict from beyond the grave? Or perhaps it’s the spirit of Tuomi, trapped in an eternal nightmare?

Dahmer’s killing spree continued at his unsuspecting grandmother’s house in Milwaukee, where he claimed the lives of two more victims. Today, the house is a magnet for paranormal enthusiasts who swear they’ve experienced supernatural occurrences on the property.

Visitors claim to have heard blood-curdling screams and seen ghostly figures in the windows. Some even report being physically pushed or touched by invisible hands. Could it be Dahmer’s victims, seeking solace in the afterlife by haunting the place of their demise? Or is it just the wind playing tricks on our feeble human minds? I’ll let you be the judge.

Our morbid mystery tour brings us to the infamous 924 North 25th Street, the site of Dahmer’s grisly apartment. Here, he brutally murdered and dismembered 12 more victims, turning his home into a veritable abattoir.

The apartment building was demolished in 1992, but the ghosts of the past linger on. Today, the site is an empty lot, but that hasn’t stopped the curious and the brave from venturing there. Some visitors report hearing screams, sobs, and even the sounds of chains rattling. Others have seen spectral figures materialize, only to vanish moments later.

Perhaps the spirits of Dahmer’s victims still roam this unhallowed ground, seeking solace in the company of the living. Or maybe it’s just the echoes of a dark and twisted past, playing on our fears and insecurities.

The last stop on our spectral journey is the Columbia Correctional Institution in Wisconsin, where Dahmer met his untimely/overdue end at the hands of fellow inmate, Christopher Scarver in 1994.

While Dahmer’s spirit may not be confined to these walls, some believe his sinister influence remains palpable within the prison.

Inmates and staff have reported feeling an oppressive energy in the cell where Dahmer spent his final days. Some claim to have seen a hulking, shadowy figure lurking in the corners, while others hear the eerie sound of laughter and chains.

Could it be that Dahmer’s spirit, forever bound by his heinous crimes, continues to haunt the living as a dark reminder of his monstrous deeds? Or is it merely the result of an overactive imagination fueled by our fascination with the macabre?

Alcatraz East, the crime museum in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, is home to several chilling and sinister exhibits, one of which is reportedly Jeffrey Dahmer’s very own prescription glasses.

Since displaying the piece, members of staff have seen a mysterious male figure standing near the display case at closing time. However when he’s approached, the figure turns looks the staff dead in the eye and vanishes.

Could this be Jeffrey’s ghost, or another of the museum’s spectral incumbents?

Our chilling expedition through the ghostly world of Jeffrey Dahmer has come to an end, but the lingering questions and mysteries surrounding his spectral presence remain.

Are the spirits of Dahmer and his victims doomed to roam the Earth, forever seeking closure and justice? Or are these eerie encounters merely the product of our own morbid curiosities and fears?

One thing is certain: the ghost of Jeffrey Dahmer continues to haunt the darkest corners of our collective psyche, a macabre reminder of the evil that can lurk within the human heart.

The post The Ghost of Jeffrey Dahmer appeared first on Haunted Rooms America.

Source: https://www.hauntedrooms.com/stories/jeffrey-dahmer-ghost

The post The Haunting History of Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum | Paranormal Deep Dive appeared first on Haunted Places & Paranormal Experiences | The Grave Talks Podcast.

Source: https://www.thegravetalks.com/the-haunting-history-of-trans-allegheny-lunatic-asylum-paranormal-deep-dive/

The post Paranormal Tour Stop | Grave Confessions ☠️ appeared first on Haunted Places & Paranormal Experiences | The Grave Talks Podcast.

Source: https://www.thegravetalks.com/paranormal-tour-stop-grave-confessions-%E2%98%A0%EF%B8%8F/

The post Surviving a Haunted House, Part One | Guest CJ Reinhard appeared first on Haunted Places & Paranormal Experiences | The Grave Talks Podcast.

Source: https://www.thegravetalks.com/surviving-a-haunted-house-part-one-guest-cj-reinhard/

The post The Haunting History of Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum: Deep Dive Discussion appeared first on Haunted Places & Paranormal Experiences | The Grave Talks Podcast.

Source: https://www.thegravetalks.com/the-haunting-history-of-trans-allegheny-lunatic-asylum-deep-dive-discussion/

The post Horrors of the Haunted Heartland, Part One | Grave Talks CLASSIC appeared first on Haunted Places & Paranormal Experiences | The Grave Talks Podcast.

Source: https://www.thegravetalks.com/horrors-of-the-haunted-heartland-part-one-grave-talks-classic/

Step inside the haunted halls of Duluth’s infamous Glensheen Mansion, where opulent tapestries, lush gardens, and antique pomegranates set the stage for one of Minnesota’s most chilling murders. She was just a skeptic out for a scenic tour…until a strange figure in old-fashioned attire appeared in the corner of the […]

The post The Ghostly Heiress | Real Ghost Stories Online appeared first on Real Ghost Stories Online.

Source: https://www.realghoststoriesonline.com/the-ghostly-heiress-real-ghost-stories-online/

When a home has sheltered multiple generations, it often becomes more than just a house—it becomes an extension of the family. It holds memories, energy, and sometimes even spirits that linger long after loved ones have passed. From footsteps in empty rooms to eerie shadows and an overpowering energy, this […]

The post Generations of Ghosts | Real Ghost Stories Online 🦇 EXTRA appeared first on Real Ghost Stories Online.

Source: https://www.realghoststoriesonline.com/generations-of-ghosts-real-ghost-stories-online-%F0%9F%A6%87-extra/