Orbs

APPEARANCE
Orbs can often be seen in photographs of haunted locations.

Orbs can be seen as little floating balls of light. Sometimes they can be seen by the naked eye and are often called "Will-o-the-Wisps", sometimes mistaken for fireflies or marsh lights. They are often very pale balls and so are rarely seen in the day time.

Orbs vary in brightness and color, some being very pale and grey whilst others have been described as burning balls of fire. They will float along above the ground, bobbing this way and that way. Some say they are guides to treasure while others say they are warnings to stay away.

LOCATIONS
Will-of-the-wisps are often seen in swamps and bogs or even forests near a body of water.

Orbs can be found anywhere, though they are often seen over bog, marshes, and other bodies of water. Due to this, many believe that Orbs or Will-o-the-wisps are the spirits of the drowned, often drowned children who have played near deep waters and drowned. They are used as a warning to keep the unwary away.

Orbs canb, however, be seen anywhere but for some reason are much easier to see on camera and digital recording devices, perhaps owing to the wavelength of the spectral light they emit.

ORIGINS


The origin of orbs dates back hundred of years - strange lights and stories aurrounding them have been around for centuries. While there are many other stories of strange lights in the sky (reported in Sumerian Sanskrit, Ancient Egyptian Heiroglyphs and Babylonian Tales) those are not the Orbs that we are dealing with, unless those observing were witnessing a Transcendance. (See: Charles Fort)

Orbs are, in fact, often spectral residue or very young or weak spirits, often of those who drowned, leaving very little passion or psyche behind. Some, namely those who were drowned on purpose, have brighter colors to them, angry red for rage or bright blue for cold sorrow.

Please Note: That Fae and Pyretic Magick can sometimes be confused for Orbs. They are NOT the same and should be treated with caution.

WEAKNESSES
Orbs themselves are very weak and are rarely a danger to anyone intelligent enough not to follow a ghostly light into the marshes. They have the usual Ghostly weaknesses, however:

- Salt (disrupting their *corpus*)

- Pure Iron

- White Sage Smudging

- Mirrors

DANGERS
Orbs can still be quite dangerous and should not be approached if it can be avoided. Orbs are often found in locations that someone, normally a young child, has died. This could be through drowning, or perhaps falling down a hole to their death. In this way they could lead the unwary to their doom. However, these Spirits are also very weak and can feed on the emotions of those they physically encounter. If an Orb was to touch you, it could harm your mind sapping your willpower, changing your mood, or - with enough exposure, it could even give you ghost sickness.

Again, it has been noted that Faery Fire and Pyretic Magick has been mistaken for Orbs before. If this is the case you are dealing with a Fae, not a Spirit. Exercise extreme caution.

NEEDS
Orbs do not really need anything. They are tiny, pathetic little things that are floating helplessly on the breeze around the location that they died. They could even be, at times, nothing more than a small Spectral Accruement - like ghostly dust that has built up over time, not being a spirit in its own right but rather being the remains of spirits or emotional residue that has gathered together in a little floating ball. This is often why they can be seen in graveyards, though in some cases they come about from people (especially children and babies) being buried alive. (See: Grave Bells)

They do not want anything or need anything.

DESTRUCTION
White Sage (and other specific incenses) can be burned to help dispel ghostly energies.

As harmless as these little spirits are, they can still be a danger to the unwary, those who come into contact with them, and they can lead to a Spiritual Accruement known as a "Fog" which can give any who go near it Ghost Sickness.

To destroy these Spirits, you will need to Either:

- Smudge the area with White Sage

- Find the corpse of the departed and have them buried properly

- Find the corpse to salt and burn it

- Or bless the area/waters from which they came to help them Transcend.

LOCAL VARIANTS


There are many variants from around the world, each with their own local legends and ways of dealing with them.

Will-o'-the-Wisp: The term "will-o'-the-wisp" comes from "wisp", a bundle of sticks or paper sometimes used as a torch and the name "Will", thus meaning "Will of the torch". The term jack-o'-lantern (Jack of the lantern) originally referred to a will-o'-the-wisp. In the United States, they are often called "spook-lights", "ghost-lights", or "orbs" by folklorists and paranormal enthusiasts.

Hobby Lanterns: Folk belief attributes the phenomenon to fairies or elemental spirits, explicitly in the term "hobby lanterns" found in the 19th century Denham Tracts. In her book A Dictionary of Fairies, K. M. Briggs provides an extensive list of other names for the same phenomenon, though the place where they are observed (graveyard, bogs, etc.) influences the naming considerably. When observed in graveyards, they are known as "ghost candles", also a term from the Denham Tracts.

Jack-o-Lantern: An Irish version of the tale has a ne'er-do-well named Drunk Jack or Stingy Jack who, when the Devil comes to collect his soul, tricks him into turning into a coin, so he can pay for his one last drink. When the Devil obliges, Jack places him in his pocket next to a crucifix, preventing him from returning to his original form. In exchange for his freedom, the Devil grants Jack ten more years of life. When the term expires, the Devil comes to collect his due. But Jack tricks him again by making him climb a tree and then carving a cross underneath, preventing him from climbing down. In exchange for removing the cross, the Devil forgives Jack's debt. However, no one as bad as Jack would ever be allowed into heaven, so Jack is forced upon his death to travel to hell and ask for a place there. The Devil denies him entrance in revenge but grants him an ember from the fires of hell to light his way through the twilight world to which lost souls are forever condemned. Jack places it in a carved turnip to serve as a lantern

Pishachas: Hindu variant of a dangerous Will-o-the-wisp that can change shape. Piśācas like darkness and traditionally are depicted as haunting cremation grounds along with other monsters like bhutas and vetālas. Piśācas supposedly possess the paranormal ability to shapeshift and assume any forms at will, and may also become invisible. They also feed on human energy. Sometimes, they possess human beings and alter their thoughts, and the victims are afflicted with a variety of maladies and abnormalities like insanity.

Ayakashi: Japanese variant that is the collective name for yōkai that appear above the surface of some body of water. In western Japan, ayakashi are said to be the vengeful spirits of those who died at sea and are attempting to capture more people to join them. On Tsushima Island, they are also called "atmospheric ghost lights of ayakashi (ayakashi no kaika)", and appear on beaches in the evening, and appear as if a child were walking in the middle of a fire. In coastal Japan, atmospheric ghost lights appear as mountains and obstruct one's path, and are said to disappear if one does not avoid the mountain and tries to bump into it intently.

Kitsunebi: in places where there'd be no presence of fire, mysterious flames like those of paper lantern or a torch would appear in a line and flicker in and out, with fires that have gone out sometimes even appearing in yet another place, so that if one attempted to chase after what was behind all this, it would disappear in the middle. When they appear between spring and autumn, they show up especially in hot summers and appear easily when it is cloudy when the weather is changing.They are said to appear from between ten and several hundred in a line, and just when one thinks that they have increased, they would suddenly disappear then multiply once again. In the Nagano Prefecture, a ton of lights like that of a paper lantern would appear in a line and flicker.The line's length spans across up to one ri (about 500–600 m). Generally the color of the fire is red or orange, but there have been several examples of witnesses that have seen blue flames

Shiranui: It is an atmospheric ghost light told about in Kyushu. They are said to appear on days of the noon moon such the kaijitsu (29th or 30th day) of the seventh month of the lunisolar calendar when the wind is weak, in the Yatsushiro Sea and the Ariake Sea.

St. Elmo's Fire: It is a weather phenomenon in which luminous plasma is created by a corona discharge from a sharp or pointed object in a strong electric field in the atmosphere (such as those generated by thunderstorms or created by a volcanic eruption). The phenomenon sometimes appeared on ships at sea during thunderstorms and was regarded by sailors with religious awe for its glowing ball of light, accounting for the name. Sailors may have considered St. Elmo's fire as a good omen (as a sign of the presence of their patron saint).

Treasure Lights: In Mexico legend refers to the lights as indicators to places where gold or hidden treasures are buried which can be found only with the help of children, in this one they are called luces del dinero (money lights) or luces del tesoro (treasure lights).

Boi-tatá: is the Brazilian equivalent of the will-o'-the-wisp. Its great fiery eyes leave it almost blind by day, but by night, it can see everything. According to legend, Boi-tatá was a big serpent which survived a great deluge. A "boiguaçu" (a cave anaconda) left its cave after the deluge and, in the dark, went through the fields preying on the animals and corpses, eating exclusively its favorite morsel, the eyes. The collected light from the eaten eyes gave "Boitatá" its fiery gaze.

VARIANT WEAKNESSES


Will-o'-the-Wisp: The land needs to be consecrated by an ordained priest in order for the spirit to find true peace - cremation or reburial will not do the trick.

Hobby Lanterns: If you encounter a Hobby Lanter - recognised as a bouncing light that moves playfully, you are dealing with a Fae and not a spirit. Their weaknesses are Iron, Music, and Magick.

Jack-o-Lantern: While many do not know the grim tale of the Original Stingy Jack, if you do encounter a lone wanderer carrying a Jack-O-Lantern, he may try to trick you into taking the lantern. In this way he can take your place in Heaven or Hell and you are doomed to carry the Jack-O-Lantern until the end of time or until you trick someone else into carrying it for you. Be polite but try to avoid his tricks.

Pishachas: Certain mantras are supposed to cure such afflicted persons and drive away the Piśāca which may be possessing that particular human being. In order to keep the Piśāca away, they are given their share of offerings during certain religious functions and festivals.

Ayakashi: They are said to disappear if one does not avoid the mountain and tries to bump into it intently.

Kitsunebi: This is probably the site of a mass burial. Be very very wary because this many spirits can lead to an accruement - which could lead to the forming of a Spiritual Fog or Ogden. Do not touch the lights avoid the area if you can. A bonefire of the buried with added salt and sage ovreseen by a priest or Miko may help to dispel some or all of the ghosts.

Shiranui: While said to be specific to the area, has been seen in several other locations. Blessings from a priest of Miko and a bonefire with white sage may help.

St. Elmo's Fire: Whiles not seen as a threat as such, it can be upsetting and unnerving to see. Some could take it as a bad omen. Again, smudging or the use of gold or silver can trap the energy within.

Treasure Lights: Probably a spirit with unresolved issues, perhaps finding the "treasure" will help them depart. However, they may be spiritually fettered to the Gold in Question, in which case it can be dangerous to take any of the treasure with you..

Boi-tatá: It can be lured into a trap with animal eyes as bait, then burned with fire and salt. Trapping the sanke in a ring of salt until daylight can also work.



CONTROLLING THEM
Trapping spirits in mirrors can work, but only if they are old fashioned mirrors made with silver backing.

Ghosts can be trapped and controlled in a number of ways, including finding their Fetter (object they are connected to, possibly an important item to them in life), finding and taking their Bones, or trapping the spirit in Silver (Often in Mirrors), chaining them to Gold (which can retain spectral energies), or trapping them in Obsidian. Obsidian works best for Black Spectres and negative energies.

They can also be trapped and controlled using various Black Magicks and Necromancy. Though, of course, this is not advised as those paths are very dangerous and will ultimately lead to your own destruction.

However, Orbs are only very small collections of spiritual energy and are nearly useless.