The Unforgiven

I thought I could use this blog as a way to showcase a few effects I've been working on. Feel free to take whatever you can from these "brainstroms" of mine...and if you could leave some comments on what you like or what needs improvement that would be wonderful.

Effect:
The word 'shrive' means to absolve of sin. It's from that word that we get the day before Ash Wednesday - Shrove Tuesday - meaning the day Christians are forgiven of their sins.

"Years ago, the worst possible thing that could happen to a person was to die unshriven - or to die with sins still unforgiven."

The magus takes out a small packet of cards.

"Here are some notables of the past who very likely died unshriven."

The magus shows each card and comments on the name:

"Jack the Ripper. Identity and date of death, unknown. In the fall of 1888, this serial killer held the metropolis of London in the grip of fear as he murdered at least five women, seemingly at will. He was never caught and his identity is still unknown.

"Attila the Hun, died 453 A.D. Known as the "Scourge of God", he conquered half the world, leaving the fragments of the Roman Empire cowering before him. The blood of countless people is on his hands. And yet he died in bed, on his wedding night.

"Macbeth, died 1040 A.D. He became king of Scotland for a brief period after murdering the rightful king, Duncan. His actions plunged the country into war. Some argue that he murdered the king to satisfy the demands of his wife, Lady Macbeth.

"Blackbeard the Pirate, died 1718. His real name was Edward Teach and he was the most feared man of his day. A mass murderer, his wanton cruelty knew no bounds. He ended his life on an American gallows.

"Lizzie Borden, died 1927. She was accused of murdering her father and her mother with an axe, a crime that shocks the world even to this day. A jury acquitted her but the public did not and she spent the rest of her life in seclusion out West.

"Ivan the Terrible, died 1584. Ruler of Russia, he was the classic feudal despot, bringing misery, destruction, and death to his people.

"Nero, died 68 A.D. Emperor of Rome, he was accused of starting the great fire that destroyed the city; and was also accused of doing it to provide inspiration for a song he was writing. The populace eventually rose up against him and he died by his own hand.

"Guy Fawkes, died 1606. A member of the famed 'Gunpowder Plot', he attempted to blow up Parliament and the politicians in attendance, during the conflict between Catholics and Protestants. He was executed by the very government he tried to destroy.

"Stalin, died 1953. Absolute ruler of the Soviet Union, he held the world in the grip of fear. He led his country through World War II but at a terrible cost; he also killed millions of his own people by forced famine, banishment to Siberia, and his notorious secret police."

The magus asks that the packet of names be cut several times to mix them up.

"These people, I believe we can safely assume, all died unshriven - or unforgiven. But you (to a spectator) look like a very good person and, perhaps, you can save just one of these horrid people. Give them a 'second chance' as it were, in eternity."

Have the spectator cut the cards, completing the cut, and remove the new, top card. The magus picks up the remainder of the cards, so they won't be a distraction.

"You could have selected any one of these fiends, whose crimes put them outside the bounds of human decency.

"And yet, being a basically decent person, you have decided to give a chance at redemption to - (here you pause dramatically and then reveal the name, along with some further details of the person's life, if you wish).

The selected name is shows to match your announcement.

The magus retrieves the card and continues with whatever he is doing.

Method:
This is an old principle, dressed up in a new and bizarre set of clothes.

Note the first initial of each of the names; the letters spell the nonsense word JAMBLINGS.

That is all you have to remember. (That, and to keep the cards in the right order!)

The cards can be cut, and the cut completed, as often as you like; it will not change the cyclical order of the word JAMBLINGS.

When the spectator cuts the cards and removes a card at the cut, you pick up the top cards of the packet and then put the bottom cards on top. The bottom card of your packet is now the card immediately before the one that was chosen.

Casually glance at the bottom card of your packet and you know the next card.

For example, if the bottom card is Lizzie Borden (and her first name starts with the letter "L"), you know the next letter must be "I" for "Ivan the Terrible".

Everything else is presentation.

You may want to embellish the profiles of each one by adding more historical details. That's fine; just don't overdo it. Remember, you are doing a wonder of magic, not giving a lecture or a history lesson!