(all tricks listed require a ghost and ghost gaff deck, available from ellusionist.)
1. Skeletons in the closet- You tell a story, which goes a little like this. "Everyone has secrets. Deep, dark secrets that they will never expose until they are forced to or they choose to. Some secrets are lost and forgotten about, but I won't go there. The secrets I'm talking about are sometimes called 'skeletons in the closet.' Everyone has them. I know you do, or you will, have skeletons in your closet soon. I have an elite ability to talk to the skeletons in your closet. I'll introduce you to your future skeleton." You show a skeleton card. "He'll be your secret, your best friend for the remainder of the trick. I'll put him aside for now. We'll use him later. Now, please call stop anywhere in the deck." Riffle. "Good. Was there a reason you called stop there? No, so it was pure intuition? Good. Please take your card. Now, unless I ask for your card, you aren't going to tell me the name of your card, right? That means you have a skeleton in your closet now. That also means I've got a new friend. Let's see what your skeleton says." Name their card. "You know how I know this? Take a look." Or give them the skeleton card face down immediately. "What if I told you that the skeleton knows what card you are holding? Please flip over your card. Now the skeleton will prove his treacherous ways. Please flip him over." The skeleton card now is holding their card in the skeletal hand and it also has the same suit and value on the corners.

The Raven's Eye-
"The raven is the most supernatural of all birds in this world. It's also got the biggest desire and passion for food. The Vulture comes close, but the raven outdoes it. The thing about this bird is its sight. Not the distance of sight, but the consistency of its vision. The bird will never blink or take its eyes off of its prey until the prey is gone and settling nicely in the raven's stomach. Behold, the raven." Show a raven card. "Please notice, you are not its food, because even though it's staring right at you, you are not reflecting in its eye, like most of its prey does." There is nothing in the eye of the image on the card. "My raven will now perch itself on this table." Place the card aside. "Will you please call stop above the card that the raven will feast upon?" Riffle. "This is the card that the raven will dine on today. Can you take this card, but don't show me? Great. Now, I'll take the raven face up, and I'll take your card face down, so I can't get a glimpse, and rub them together. That way the raven will get a good view of its next meal. Here's your card back. Now, raven, please show me what their card is." Name their card. "You know how I know this? Take a look at my winged friend's eye." There is now an image of their card inside the eye of the raven. "I told you the raven is a supernatural creature."

The same card sleights are used for both tricks, so it shouldn't be too difficult to figure out. What do you guys and gals think of these stories? I find them a bit dark, but still pretty powerful.

I've seen the cards and I think these stories are both very creative of you. How have the people you've done them for responded?

Those routines sound cool.

Since my character is a pirate, all of my routines are themed to piracy and sailing tall ships. A couple of tricks have lent me to use lines from pirates of the carribean. I was pleasantly suprised with the ghost deck and gaff deck. I take the ghost kings and the kings from a regular pack, wave my Aztec necklace over them and one by one, make them change into their ghostly immage. "The moonlight shows us for what we really are!"

It has received some great responses.

Isso liwok- the people I've done them for have all been really surprised and astonished. I'm working on filming and editing a 45 mins to an hour long video of me doing magic. When it is finished I'll send you a copy, and let you see for yourself. I'll email you once it's done.

Captain Jack- Thanks for the complement. The pirate theme sounds extremely cool, and a ghost and ghost gaff deck must serve you well. That's a great idea, turning the kings into ghost kings with the wave of a necklace. That's very creative!

Cool. Thanks. I'll be interested to hear what you learn about fine-tuning it the more you present it. Your video-tape project is excellent...you will learn so much.

Eman,

These are awesome ideas. I don't currently have the ghost gaff deck, but you just might be convincing me to get one!