Spectrals

“

Look, Maxwell. This is the world we have the privilege of being a part of... A world teeming with life unbound by the laws of reality. — Richard Spender to Max Puckett (Chapter 1, Page 62)

”

Spectrals are humans who can interact with spectral entities and possess spectral energy.

Traits and Abilities

Chapter 4, Page 72

Spectrals are humans that can physically interact with the supernatural world, including spectral entities such as ghosts and spirits, and be affected by supernatural materials such as ectoplasm and the Mayview barrier.

Spectrals possess spectral energy (described by Mr. Spender as a "tinted vapor") and can learn to manipulate it to fight or otherwise interact with other spectral entities. This substance naturally regenerates over time, so it isn't possible for a spectral to permanently "run out" in the same way that some spirits and ghosts can.

Spectrals can host weakened spirits, either as a medium or by wielding a tool. The hosted spirit will absorb some of the spectral energy exuded by the spectral until it has fully recovered. While hosting a spirit, the host can directly use some form of the spirit's powers, as well as interact with the spirit in a slowed mental state known as a Heightened State of Perception. Spectrals can only serve as medium to spirits that have the same spectral energy color as themselves, although a tool of a similar enough color can still feed off their energy even if they cannot directly use that tool's power.

Becoming a Spectral

Isaac mentions that causes of becoming a spectral include "a near death experience, prolonged exposure to supernatural phenomena, [or] a diet obnoxiously high in citrus". A dying spirit can possess a non-spectral human, which will cause the human to gradually turn into a spectral via exposure and develop spectral energy. In this case, the energy color of the new spectral will presumably be the same as that of the hosted spirit.

Chapter 5, Page 87

Shades

During their initial stages, spectrals see spirits and ghosts as faint, purple wisps that fade in and out called "shades", which gradually appear in greater detail until their true form can be seen.

Trivia

• Spectrals can be mistaken for a human ghost from a distance.
• Spirits possessing a spectral can feel the pain of their host, regardless of whether they are possessing the host directly or a tool being wielded.