LORD BRITISH’S SPOOKHOUSE!<\/p>\n
The week before the Eve of All Hallows, I received an unusual piece of mail: an
\nInvitation to Terror! The invitation was printed in silver on black, and
\npromised an experience not soon to be forgotten. Never one to miss unique
\nexperiences (or a good scare), I rode the jetstream to Austin, TX to journey
\nthrough Lord British’s Origin Spookhouse.<\/p>\n
The tales I have to tell of that trip are such that I have chosen to present
\nthem in two parts. The first part (which follows) presents a slightly
\nfictionalized narrative of my tour of the Spookhouse, intended to give readers a
\nsense of the experience enjoyed by those with courage enough to brave the
\nSpookhouse. The second part of my story is a more sober recounting of the
\nSpookhouse, describing its origins, its creators, and many of the special
\neffects and stunts used therein.<\/p>\n
A JOURNEY INTO TERROR<\/p>\n
I joined with others from my party in my approach to the old house known as
\nBrittania Manor. We numbered four in all, each suitably attired for what
\npromised to be a daunting excursion. Thunder rumbled from the direction of the
\nhouse, though no clouds obscured the stars overhead. I confess: This did not
\nsettle my nerves, though I maintained a calm visage.<\/p>\n
As we walked up the path, we were accosted by a nun whose face wore the lines
\nand haggard look of someone who has seen more of terror and death than should be
\nviewed in several lifetimes.<\/p>\n
She eyed our little party with a critical, though not disfavorable, eye. Then
\nshe recounted the story of the manse just ahead of us. It seems the house was
\nonce a monastery for an order of monks. But the head of the order, a Cardinal
\nDiego Martinez, delved too deeply into matters best left alone. His probings
\nopened the way for evil, and the sorceress Minax slew him, claiming the
\nmonastery for her own.<\/p>\n
The monks were driven out, and now, their only hope of reclaiming their home is
\nthe retrieval of a certain item: the Gargoyle Talisman. If we were to aid these
\nnoble monks, we would have to penetrate the manse, now warped by evil beyond
\nrecognition, find the Talisman, and bring it forth. We were not told the form of
\nthe talisman, nor where it could be found.<\/p>\n
As the nun finished her story, she looked at us again and strove to persuade us
\nto put this quest aside. “Not for us should you do this,” she urged.<\/p>\n
But we were adamant in our resolve. Perhaps if we had known then what we were
\nto encounter later, our answer might have been different.<\/p>\n
The nun bowed her head in acquiescence to our resolve, then turned as a man of
\nnoble visage strode toward us.<\/p>\n
“Come this way please,” he motioned, and strode toward the monastery. As we
\nfollowed, he introduced himself as Lord British. “I have heard of your quest,
\nand will guide you to the door.”<\/p>\n
As we neared the entryway, Lord British stopped us and asked why we were here.
\nMy companions seemed tongue-tied and muttered something nonsensical about
\nHalloween and Spookhouses. I spoke up quickly: “We wish to retrieve the talisman
\nand free the Monastery of evil.”<\/p>\n
After gazing in some alarm at my companions, Lord British put his hand on my
\nshoulder, “Watch over these, your companions. I fear they are not ready for such
\ntrials as they will face inside.” I nodded my head, and my companions wisely
\nrefrained from speaking again.<\/p>\n
At the door we met a cloaked monk. Lord British introduced our party to the
\nmonk and told us that this monk had helped betray the order. Before we could
\nreact, Lord British hastened to add that the monk had repented his sin and
\nwished to redeem himself by helping us in our quest.<\/p>\n
The monk held out a small wand, “With this wand I shall open the door before
\nyou. In this way, I hope to expiate my sin.”<\/p>\n
So saying, he motioned us back, then stood in front of the door. With a shout
\nhe pointed the wand at the door.<\/p>\n
Blue lightning streaked through the door from a face that suddenly appeared
\nthere, striking the monk’s wand. This horrible spark danced and spat for fully
\nfive seconds before the monk dropped to the ground. The acrid smell and wisps of
\nsmoke told his fate to all who stood there aghast at the suddenness of the
\nthing.<\/p>\n
Lord British woke us from our shock and motioned to us. “Come with me, this way
\nis closed now. I cannot lead you further, but can direct you to the monks who
\nhave taken up residence outside the monastery. Perhaps they know of another way
\nin.”<\/p>\n
Still dazed and mumbling quick prayers for the soul of that poor monk, we
\nhastened after Lord British. He showed us a path into the woods and then bade us
\nfarewell and good luck.<\/p>\n
We followed the path to a nearby fire, where we found a small band of monks
\nsharing the warmth and listening to the sad tunes of a lute played in minor key.
\nThe lute player spied our party as we entered the small ring of light and
\nhastened to greet us. “What do you here in these cursed woods so late at night?”
\nhe asked.<\/p>\n
We told him of our quest. As with the others, he first tried to persuade us to
\nabandon our quest. Failing that, he sighed, then motioned forward one of the
\nmonks. “Our sister knows of another way into the monastery. She will guide you
\nto the door, but no farther.”<\/p>\n
We looked down at the small monk who crept toward us. She was stooped in an
\nodd, unnatural manner, and her voice was a harsh rasp that set our nerves
\njangling. “Yes, yes, the small door. I will show it to you. I like it. Heh heh.”<\/p>\n
Despite our misgivings, we followed this gnomish monk further into the woods
\ndown a steep rocky path lit only by her feeble lantern. As I stared intently at
\nmy footing, I noticed an unusual number of large white stones strewn about.
\nLooking closer, I recoiled as I realized that these were bones and bone
\nfragments heaped in such profusion all around us. What manner of creature would
\ncreate such a litter? Best never to find out, I thought.<\/p>\n
A horse’s neigh rent the still night air, and our guide held up the lantern.
\nOut of the mists to our right, a horse skeleton glided toward us, led by a
\nfemale apparition. “Wraith!” cried our guide, “Quickly, we must leave these
\nwoods!”<\/p>\n
We hastened after our guide as the wraith called out for us, her macabre
\nattractions tugging at us. As we looked back, an enormous black cat yowled and
\nleaped out of the woods at us. Seemingly daunted by the size of our party, it
\nleft us alone, but continued to howl as we retreated. Finally, we spied the
\nhouse ahead of us.<\/p>\n
The monk started cackling as we neared a small door set near one corner of the
\nhouse. “The small door, heh, heh. I like the small door. Do you know why?”<\/p>\n
Mute, I shook my head, not sure how to respond to this misshapen monk.<\/p>\n
“The rats! The rats are biggest and juiciest by the small door. Heh heh heh.”<\/p>\n
Shuddering, I was glad when she swung open the door and motioned us in. “I
\ncannot follow, but you must go on. Others have stayed inside waiting for such as
\nyou to attempt this quest.” With that, the door slammed shut behind us, leaving
\nus in a short corridor.<\/p>\n
I strode purposefully toward the door at the end of the corridor, determined
\nthat the dim light and cobwebs would not bother me. I swung the door open, only
\nto be confronted by a brick wall. Behind me one of the party members found
\nanother door hidden in the shadows by the entrance. He opened that door and we
\nplunged through.<\/p>\n
Here we found another monk who seemed to know of our quest. He informed us that
\nwe had arrived at the same time as the Cardinal’s death. “Every night his death
\nis re-created here. Follow me and you will learn of his demise.”<\/p>\n
He led us up a spiral staircase, where we witnessed a strange scene. We stood
\non a balcony above a candle-lit room obviously used for sorcerous undertakings.
\nA huge crystal ball stood to one side of an enormous tome. A man dressed in a
\ncardinal’s red robes stood hunched over this book, reading aloud. His voice
\nrumbled and ground over the strange words like boulders digesting smaller rocks.
\nThe very sound of these words struck fear into us, though we knew not why.<\/p>\n
Suddenly, a beautiful woman strode into the room. So this was Minax! She
\nentered into a stormy argument with the cardinal, demanding to be shown what he
\nhad discovered. “No!” he cried, “These words should not be read by mortals. They
\nwill unlock a great evil!”<\/p>\n
“And a great power, you fool!” the woman shouted back. When her verbal assaults
\nfailed, she drew a long knife from the sleeve of her gown and stabbed the
\ncardinal. As he slumped to the ground, she stooped over the book and began
\nchanting the spell we had heard before.<\/p>\n
Our guide drew us away from this ghastly scene, “Come, we must go on.”<\/p>\n
We followed the monk past a room containing the Cardinal’s remains. Then we
\npassed a bizarre living wall of human souls. As ethereal voices cried out to us
\nfor help, faces and hands pushed out of the wall’s surface toward us. Our guide
\ninformed us that these were lost souls imprisoned in the wall by the evil Minax,
\nwho took over the monastery after slaying the Cardinal.<\/p>\n
He led us past the wall and toward a tower. “There is someone here who may be
\nable to tell you more of the talisman, but it is dangerous. Do you wish to turn
\nback?”<\/p>\n
Stubbornly we motioned forward. We would see this quest through, whatever our
\neventual fate might be.<\/p>\n
As we entered the tower, a hideous gray apparition flew overhead. “A gargoyle!”
\nthe monk cried. Fortunately, this creature was satisfied to simply scream and
\nhound our footsteps as we climbed into the tower.<\/p>\n
We reached a platform at the base of a steep stairway, more ladder than stairs,
\ntruthfully. As we looked up, a dark figure spread his cloak and glided down from
\nthe top of the steps toward our party.<\/p>\n
“Who dares disturb the rest of Lord Ozymandias? Do you not know that I have not
\nfeasted in many moons? Perhaps I shall feed on _you_!”<\/p>\n
With each word, this vampire — for that is what he was — glided ever closer.
\nWith his last words, his pale face nearly grazed my own as he leered, exposing
\nlong white fangs, his body suspended out over us.<\/p>\n
“Ah, I sense you are on a quest. What do you seek?”<\/p>\n
“The Gargoyle Talisman,” I forced myself to say, more intimidated by this
\ncreature than I would care to admit.<\/p>\n
“Yes, I see. I cannot tell you where this thing can be found, but I can tell
\nyou what it is. The Gargoyle Talisman is the smallest finger of a gargoyle,
\nhacked off his hand while he yet breathes. Perhaps you will find what you seek
\nin the netherworld.”<\/p>\n
We were scarcely comforted by this information, but we hastened back down the
\nsteps, not wishing to tempt Ozymandias’s gruesome appetite any longer. We
\nfollowed another narrow corridor through a misty swamp, then to the shore of a
\nsmall river.<\/p>\n
There our monk told us he must leave us. “I cannot cross this river, you cross
\nalone. Another monk will aid you on the other side.” He helped us into a small
\ncraft, and pushed us out into misty waters. Too late we realized we were without
\npaddles, and perforce had to dip our own hands into this ghastly stream to
\npropel ourselves.<\/p>\n
As we knelt over the sides, a dark figure leapt from the waters, nearly
\nswamping our small boat. Before the creature could attack again, a monk appeared
\non the opposite bank, grabbed the rope we threw him, and drew us to shore.<\/p>\n
“Quickly, before he returns! We must go,” he urged us as we clambered out of
\nthe boat. Just as the last of us stepped on land, the creature returned.
\nFortunately, it did not care to venture from its watery domain, or this
\nnarrative might have ended here.<\/p>\n
The monk led us toward a spiral staircase. Just as we approached, a tall
\nshadowy figure lurched toward us from the shadows. “Hurry, up the stairs!” cried
\nour guide, as he led the way.<\/p>\n
We quickly scurried after him, but the stairs proved to be little sanctuary.
\nThe shadow stretched upward to an unnatural height — twelve feet at least! And
\nhis arms reached through the rails to snatch at our feet and clothes.
\nFortunately his grip was weak and fear strengthened our legs and we made good
\nour escape.<\/p>\n
We found ourselves in front of a set of cages with victims chained inside while
\nguards roamed the tops of cages lashing their inmates. We were forced to make
\nour way through this nightmarish scene, with the captives grasping at us and
\npleading for help. The guards just laughed and motioned us forward.<\/p>\n
In the next room, we were rudely shocked to find ourselves confronted with
\nMinax herself! The beautiful woman we had seen earlier was now transformed, her
\nface a demonic visage that I can scarcely find words to describe. Her nose had
\ngrown into a hooked beak, her chin protruded sharply, and her brows and
\ncheekbones were similarly exaggerated. The whole was colored in a sickly green.
\nBut worst of all was her voice.<\/p>\n
“I know what you want, you fools,” her words clamored and echoed in our skulls,
\ngrating our nerves and echoing inside us. “You will have to make a sacrifice to
\n_me_ if you wish to go on. One of you must receive my mark.”<\/p>\n
Not knowing fully what I did, I stepped boldly forward. Minax reached out with
\nher hands and brushed each cheek as I strove not to flinch at her evil touch.
\nLater, I would discover the full extent of my folly.<\/p>\n
Quickly we left Minax’s lair, her laughter echoing in our footsteps. We
\nproceeded forward to an apothecary who did not have a gargoyle talisman but
\noffered us other equally unsavory concoctions. We begged off and left hastily.<\/p>\n
Our guide led us to a small chapel staffed by nuns. These nuns offered to bless
\nus if we would undertake a task. “Free our brother Elijah, who came here before
\nyou on the same quest,” they urged us.<\/p>\n
We agreed, and the blessing was given. Given, that is, to all but myself. As
\nthey saw the marks left by Minax, the nuns hissed and backed away. “Evil! You
\nshow the mark of Minax! Evil!” I was forbidden the blessing and we were quickly
\nsent our way.<\/p>\n
We emerged on a balcony to behold a horrifying sight. A young woman lay on her
\nback, a bloated spider straddling her body in a pool of blood. As we approached,
\nthe woman struggled feebly and cried out for help. Our guide shook his head,
\nthough, “Too late for this one.”<\/p>\n
We took a set of spiral stairs down. As we descended, another spider, the twin
\nof the one above, leapt from below. Its leap was twenty feet if it was an inch,
\nand only good fortune and the sturdy rails of the stairway preserved us from
\nthis unholy creature. We half-fell, half-flew down the stairs and emerged into a
\ngraveyard.<\/p>\n
Our guide reminded us that we were to seek the Talisman in the netherworld.
\nWhere else but in a graveyard could we get so close? Motioning us to a small
\nopen crypt, he bade us to search it for what we sought. As we crowded in, a
\ngargoyle swung down from above the doorway, grasping at our backs.<\/p>\n
In panic we scurried back, noting that nothing lay in the crypt. We escaped the
\nclutches of the gargoyle and looked about for our guide, but found instead
\nanother horrifying apparition: Death!<\/p>\n
Death was, if anything, more terrifying in life than he\/she\/it had been in our
\nimagination. He stood seven feet tall in a long hooded robe that hid all but his
\nskeletal hands and face. Red eyes burned into us as he gazed at our little
\nparty, and he swung his great scythe forward.<\/p>\n
We scarcely knew what to do, but Death motioned across the graveyard to another
\nsmall area, then glared at us again. Refraining from discussing the issue any
\nfurther, we hastened off in the direction indicated.<\/p>\n
As we crossed the graveyard, a woman’s scream pierced the night air. Suddenly,
\nyet another gargoyle swooped overhead, grasping at our heads. We ducked, but
\ncontinued on. If the gargoyles were trying to stop us, we _must_ have been on
\nthe right path!<\/p>\n
As we neared the area we had been directed to, we saw that it was a small
\nplatform built about 50 feet beyond the slope ahead. A small rope bridge crossed
\nthe gap, and a man stood on a small extension of the platform at the end of the
\nbridge.<\/p>\n
Suddenly, our guide reappeared and shouted, “Brother Elijah! He is there, we
\nmust rescue him.” Our guide dashed onto the bridge and we hurried after. But
\nbefore we were more than halfway across, the small extension gave way and we
\nwatched in horror as Elijah was hanged right before our eyes. The sickening snap
\nand protruding tongue told the end of Elijah’s tale for all of us.<\/p>\n
From under the bridge, several trolls sprang forth and began to grab at us. We
\nturned and fled before any could get a grip and drag us off the bridge. Our
\nguide then pointed toward a small door with writing on it, and we hastened
\ntoward it, glad to be leaving the graveyard.<\/p>\n
As we approached the door, I saw that the writing on the door read “Abandon all
\nhope, ye who enter here.” Despite these words, hope rose in me. These words
\nhinted at the very netherworld we were supposed to find. Perhaps we were finally
\nnearing our goal.<\/p>\n
The door was smaller than it first appeared, and we were forced to kneel, then
\ncrawl into the passage beyond. This passage led up at a sharp angle, eventually
\ndepositing us into a strange room.<\/p>\n
The room was dark momentarily, then lit for the briefest moment, like a
\nlightning flash in the darkest night. The flashing kept going, in a rapid
\npattern. In this quasi-light, we saw that the room was painted in a
\nblack-and-white checkered pattern. And a similarly patterned creature was in the
\nroom with us! We managed to find another exit, and made our way through, only to
\nfind that we had jumped from the proverbial frying pan into the fire. Where we
\nhad previously dealt with flashing light, here there was none at all, only
\ndarkness. We seemed to be in a narrow corridor, and as I was in the lead, I
\nurged the party forward.<\/p>\n
Alas, even the greatest leader can do little in total blackness, and soon I
\nfound myself in a _cul de sac_. I instructed the rearmost to take the lead, and
\nwork back to the last branching. There we would take the other path and hope it
\nwould lead to a better conclusion.<\/p>\n
We proceeded in this manner, exchanging leads as we encountered dead ends,
\nuntil we finally emerged into a lit area. Here we saw a wooden platform leading
\ntoward yet another rope bridge. We moved ahead, our eyes readjusting to the
\nlight.<\/p>\n
A man in strange blue clothing greeted us and motioned us onto the platform. As
\nwe gathered together, the platform gave way under our feet!<\/p>\n
Fortunately, we dropped no more than six inches before the supports caught us.
\nUnfortunately, the rope bridge had broken and fallen into the boiling mud pit
\nbelow. The man grabbed a rope dangling from the supports above. “You will have
\nto swing across with this,” he told us, leering at our reluctance.<\/p>\n
We gazed at each other, but none moved forward until I finally grabbed the rope
\nmyself. It turned out to be quite easy, and the distance was no more than
\nfifteen feet. Seeing my example, the rest of the party swung across quickly and
\nwe proceeded forward through a curtain.<\/p>\n
Here a man wearing white robes smeared with blood seemed to be cutting apart a
\ngargoyle who was lying on a bed. A female assistant was helping him — when not
\ncaught up in bizarre fits of cackling laughter. The room had strange ropes and
\nlines strung all about, some terminating at one wall, the others attached to
\nvarious devices being manipulated by the man.<\/p>\n
As we entered the room, the white-robed figure greeted us and asked what we
\nsought. We told him of our quest for the Gargoyle Talisman and what we had
\nlearned of its nature.<\/p>\n
“Well, this gargoyle ain’t exactly breathing, but we can see about that,” he
\nreplied.<\/p>\n
So saying, the man turned toward the wall from which came all the lines and
\ncables. This wall was composed of metal in strange patterns and arrays, studded
\nwith lights and levers in odd positions. The white-robed figure proceeded to
\npull levers, switch dials, and turn knobs to the accompaniment of sounds oddly
\nreminiscent of our encounter with the blue lightening.<\/p>\n
Slamming one last lever into place, the man turned toward the gargoyle holding
\nout two prongs connected to the machinery on the wall. As he touched these prods
\nto the gargoyle, it twitched and leaped and the whole bed shook. The assistant
\nclutched at the gargoyle’s feet and cackled horribly. We saw with horror that
\nthe gargoyle’s eyes flashed open, and his mouth gave vent to a scream. Evil
\nthough he be, we thought this unholy resurrection to be more than any creature
\ndeserved!<\/p>\n
The mad man, for surely that is what he was, quickly pulled a knife and hacked
\nat one hand. Then he pulled the prongs back, and the shaking and twitching
\nsubsided. He turned to us and said, “Here is your talisman. Stone now, as all
\ngargoyle flesh becomes when it is no longer alive.” One of my compatriots took
\nthe petrified digit, too shocked to mumble even perfunctory thanks. Our guide
\nthen hastened us forward.<\/p>\n
The next room was a small triangular shaped affair. As we crowded in, the door
\nslammed shut behind us. Again. How often had this happened in our journey? I
\nbegan to wonder if we were not simply pawns being manipulated for the amusement
\nof the evil Minax. Perhaps our whole quest was a sham, meant only to lead the
\ngullible forward until they could be brought to some gruesome end.<\/p>\n
I shook myself out of this grim reverie and started searching for another way
\nout. The guide examined the apex of the triangle, the most logical place for an
\nexit, but said there was no way out. The other walls were solid, and the
\nentrance was completely blocked. Again and again we searched.<\/p>\n
Finally, I shoved the guide to one side and found the exit, right where we
\nthought it would be. I glared at the guide, but he shrugged and said that it
\nhadn’t been there when he looked. He then pulled me to one side, “You are
\nendangering the whole party. You should never have taken Minax’s mark, for now
\nyour soul is forfeit. This mark shines like a beacon to the evil ones ahead. If
\nyour party is to have any chance at all, you must go last.”<\/p>\n
I confess, I did not trust this guide very much at this point, but I couldn’t
\nargue with his logic. Everyone we encountered had focused immediately on my
\nmark, so it clearly was as obvious as the guide claimed. As we opened the exit,
\nI took my place at the rear of the line.<\/p>\n
This exit was the smallest we had yet encountered, and we were forced to crawl
\non hands and knees to enter it. One by one, we crawled in, till at last it was
\nmy turn. I knelt and followed close on the heels of the guide. But as I got
\nthrough the door, another in front of me closed.<\/p>\n
I turned as quickly as I could in the cramped area, but the door behind me was
\nalready closing. I was trapped! My prison was a small box about three feet wide
\nand tall, and scarcely longer. I pressed on each door in turn, and searched all
\nthe surfaces for an exit. What an ignominious end, I thought, to die trapped in
\nthis filthy box.<\/p>\n
Suddenly my prison lurched into motion. I tumbled from side to side as the box
\nturned, spun, and moved off in a seemingly random pattern. Finally, it came to a
\nsudden stop and one of the doors slid open.<\/p>\n
I crawled out, but soon wondered if the hellish scene before me was truly
\npreferable to my little box. I had crawled into a cage hardly larger than my
\nbox. Creatures of unknown aspect crouched on top of the cage and reached through
\nto clutch at me. The room was lit in dim blood-red light, and a huge demon stood
\nbefore me, within a pentagram inscribed on the floor.<\/p>\n
Smoke writhed around the feet of the demon, and his visage was horrifying to
\nbehold. Huge horns protruded up from his forehead, and his brows jutted forward
\nmenacingly. His chin and cheekbones were equally exaggerated, and his skin was
\ncolored red, completely down to his waist. His body was tall and strong, and I
\ncould easily believe that he could rend one of our party with his bare hands.<\/p>\n
Before I could speak, the rest of my party stumbled into the room! Could I be
\nsaved? Or were they all to share my doom?<\/p>\n
The demon spoke then, in a huge booming voice that seemed to echo in dimensions
\nnot seen. Where Minax’s voice had grated and chilled us inside, this voice
\nseemed to want to smote us down like a giant fist. Strange lights played about
\nthe room, in harmony with this demonic sound.<\/p>\n
The demon pointed at me and said, “His soul is mine. Unless you can give me
\nsomething to win his freedom.”<\/p>\n
My companions turned toward me as the creatures continued to torment me. “No!”
\nI shouted. “He wants the talisman, don’t give it him.”<\/p>\n
They turned back to the demon, who spoke again, “Yes! Give me the talisman and
\nI will free him. Fail in this, and you condemn him to death and his soul to
\ndamnation.”<\/p>\n
I pled with my companions to ignore this offer. I knew that my sacrifice would
\nyield great good if it could lead to the expulsion of Minax and her evil
\nminions. But my companions bargained with the demon, first winning my release
\nfrom the cage, then the freedom of my soul. I felt the marks disappear from my
\nflesh, as my companions handed over the talisman.<\/p>\n
Realizing it was too late to change their minds, and not trusting a demon to
\nhold to its word, I cast about desperately for an exit. In one corner, I spied a
\ndarkness in the dim light and made for it. Yes, an exit was there.<\/p>\n
I crawled into a round tunnel that spun and tumbled me as I crept ahead. I
\nfound that a forward tumble seemed to neutralize the effect, and I managed to
\nmake it through. My fellow party members soon followed and we found ourselves
\nonce again outside the manor. As I began to remonstrate with my companions about
\ngiving up the talisman, a monk approached us.<\/p>\n
“Your friends chose wisely,” he said. “Had they kept the talisman at the price
\nof your soul, it would have been tainted and unable to be used to expel Minax.
\nOthers will attempt this quest, and someday Brittania Manor _will_ be free.”<\/p>\n
I was still frustrated with our failure as we trudged away. But as we walked
\ndown the path, I spied Lord British leading another party of four toward the old
\nmansion. I murmured a prayer wishing them luck in their quest and my heart rose
\nat the thought that even Minax must eventually succumb to the stubborn nobility
\nof those who quest against evil.<\/p>\n
BEHIND THE SCENES AT THE SPOOKHOUSE<\/p>\n
The proceeding narrative is true in the number and variety of events that
\noccurred. The characters encountered, and the overall plot and dialogue, are
\nalso real. Most of the special effects occurred in exactly the manner described.
\nBlue lightning really does smite the sinful monk at the door to Brittania Manor!
\nThis section takes you behind the scenes of the Spookhouse to give you a glimpse
\nof the effort that went into its creation, and insight into how some of the
\neffects were performed.<\/p>\n
Lord British (aka Richard Garriott, of ULTIMA fame) has been creating
\nSpookhouses for several years. This Spookhouse is distinguished from past
\nefforts in several important ways. First, Origin Systems and FCI of Japan
\ncontributed $50,000 to help make this year’s Spookhouse the biggest and most
\nelaborate yet. Second, to ensure that the tour could be experienced properly,
\nattendance was restricted, and only those with an invitation were allowed in.<\/p>\n
The tour took 40-45 minutes in all, which is several times longer than any
\nhaunted house in my experience. Moreover, the use of a coherent plot and lavish
\ncostumes, make-up, and special effects made the whole experience unique. In many
\nways, the tour gave visitors a chance to play in a small ULTIMA-style setting.<\/p>\n
As mentioned before, considerable funds were contributed to help put the
\nSpookhouse together. Lord British donated the use of his own home to the cause,
\nand the uniqueness and size of Brittania Manor contributed incalculably to the
\nexperience. In addition, at least 70 people gave of their time and energy to
\nhelp construct, then run, the Spookhouse. The cast was enormous, and watching
\nthem gather and prepare for a night of haunting was more than a little
\nreminiscent of a large stage production.<\/p>\n
The cast members are all friends or acquaintances of Lord British. Many work at
\nOrigin Systems. Others are members of the Society for Creative Anachronism. All
\nshared an incredible enthusiasm for the project that sustained them through long
\nnights (till four in the morning at times) and the workdays that followed.<\/p>\n
The effects used in the Spookhouse were dizzying in their variety. The thunder
\nwas a looped tape played through hidden speakers strategically placed about the
\nmanor. Other speakers were hidden in the woods and around the house to produce
\nthe sounds of the horse’s neigh and the woman’s scream, as well as other
\neffects, such as the moaning voices in the human wall.<\/p>\n
Elaborate sound equipment was used to pick up and modulate the voices of Minax
\nand the Demon. The masks used in the makeup of these characters included hidden
\nmikes in the chin pieces for this purpose. Various amplification and
\nreverberation devices created the unique sounds, while hidden speakers around
\nthe room projected the “multi-dimensional” effect.<\/p>\n
In the Demon’s chamber, an assistant stands behind a curtain and aims a set of
\nlasers at whomever the Demon is addressing. This has the effect of making it
\nlook like the Demon’s eyes are casting a red light on each person he faces.<\/p>\n
Dry ice and fog machines were used throughout the house, as appropriate. Dry
\nice was used primarily in the swamp and the river, while fog machines created
\nsmoke for the drier areas of the house.<\/p>\n
A strobe light was used in the checkered room, and the character in there was
\ndressed in checkered clothes and make-up. The whole effect was startling and
\nquite unnerving.<\/p>\n
The gargoyles and spiders were suspended in rappelling gear to achieve their
\nswooping and leaping effects. The gargoyles generally were hung on lines and
\nsimply swung across open spaces. The spider gear was somewhat more elaborate.<\/p>\n
The spiders were hung at one end of a counter-weighted rope. This weight was
\ncarefully calculated to give the spider a net weight of about five to ten
\npounds. This enabled the spiders to leap with their own strength (up to 20 feet
\nin the air), and to rapidly climb the outside of the spiral stairs to chase the
\nparty. An interesting aspect of this effect is that the spider character must be
\nof a specific weight and size for it to work properly.<\/p>\n
The flying gargoyle in the graveyard was achieved using a suspended line about
\n100-150 feet long. One end was tied at the third floor balcony, the other about
\n10 feet up on a hidden platform at the other end of the graveyard. A person in
\ngargoyle costume wore a harness around his hips. This harness was attached to
\none pulley riding the line. The gargoyle reached forward and grabbed two lines
\nhanging from a second pulley. Then it leaped off the balcony, and “flew” down
\nthe line suspended underneath the pulleys.<\/p>\n
As Lord British explained this effect, he offered to show it to me. He quickly
\ndonned the harness, clambered up the ladder, and flew across the graveyard. Not
\nto be outdone, I took a turn at gargoyle flying myself. The experience was
\nnearly as exhilarating as the Spookhouse itself, and I felt a pang of envy
\ntoward those who’d been able to perform in this wonderful interactive show.<\/p>\n
The horse skeleton was really a horse skeleton, and it glided along using a set
\nof pulleys and a line, much like the flying gargoyle. The use of clever
\nunderlighting and some extra wisps of lacy cloth enhanced the illusion. And the
\nbones strewn about were just that (yuck!).<\/p>\n
The Creature from the Black Lagoon (the river monster) was a man dressed in a
\nblack skin suit and flippers. The indoor pool was used for the river, with the
\nbottom painted black to make it less “pool-like.” Draping was hung around the
\npool, affording the creature a hiding spot before he sank silently beneath the
\nsurface to pounce on our unsuspecting party.<\/p>\n
The incredibly tall grabbing monster was a fairly tall young man on painter’s
\nstilts with arm extenders. He was dressed in a custom-designed robe that hid
\nthese features. Death was another tall man in a mask with red LEDs for eyes. He
\ncarried a real eight-foot-long scythe that would probably fetch a goodly sum at
\nan antique shop.<\/p>\n
To me, the single most startling effect was the blue lightning. In fact, this
\neffect scared off many small children (who were not supposed to be there
\nanyway). While I wasn’t tempted to flee, I will confess to being completely
\nsurprised and stunned at the sight.<\/p>\n
The effect uses a Tesla coil operating at a reported 1,000,000 volts. The monk
\nholds a metal wand that’s wired through his robe to a metal plate in his shoe.
\nThe monk stands on a wire mesh placed approximately four feet from the door. The
\nmonk holds the wand out, and as he presses a trigger, blue lightning springs
\nfrom the door to the wand. Not only is this visually spectacular, it is _loud_.
\nThe monk held this spark for nearly 20 seconds for photographers, and it was
\nstunning.<\/p>\n
In addition to the high-tech effects, elaborate makeup and costumes are
\nemployed. Every character associated with the Spookhouse is in costume, and 90%
\nwear makeup. The Demon’s makeup took over an hour to apply, and others’ makeup
\ntook nearly as long.<\/p>\n
A complete script was created for the tour, including a description of effects,
\nand instructions on dialogue and coping with slow visitors. This script was
\nmodified and adjusted right up to the first night, honed and perfected by
\nfeedback from all involved.<\/p>\n
The only sad note to this experience is that it was over too soon, and it’s not
\nlikely to be repeated for a while. Origin says that there will not be a
\nSpookhouse next year, and they are not sure whether there will be one in 1992.
\nLooking at the various things done to Lord British’s house, I can understand how
\nit may take a while to recover and recuperate. Still, if you’re in the vicinity
\nof Austin, TX as All Hallows Eve approaches, you might find out whether you know
\nsomeone who works at Origin Systems. And then sell your soul for an invitation!<\/p>\n
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& the Temple of the Screaming Electron Taipan Enigma 510\/935-5845
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