“Nothing quite so direct,” Strange says. “It’s simply passed through many hands — it’s sold onto the next eccentric, and then sold again — and the sorcerers eventually bought it for a pittance from the last owner, who couldn’t figure out what to do with it. It turns out that people don’t much like haunted properties. Even if they’re not all that magically sensitive, they can tell that something is off about the location. We, of course, don’t mind.”

An aimless wave of his hands, indicating their surroundings, the visible signs of magic all around them. There’s some kind of orrery floating in the corner, contentedly monitoring the planes, flickering with the occasional glimmer of gold light.

“Still, though, I don’t recommend going into the basement. Unpleasant energy down there.”