In Arcanum: Of Steamworks & Magick Obscura, the lore surrounding speaking with spirits is deeply integrated into the game's narrative and mechanics, particularly through the use of necromancy. The game allows players to resurrect deceased characters and interrogate their spirits using the spell @Conjure Spirit, a feature that is both mechanically and thematically significant. This process is not merely a gameplay trick but a core element of the game's world-building, reflecting the Victorian-era setting and its fascination with spiritualism and the supernatural. Players can use @Necromantic White and @Necromantic Black spell @Conjure Spirit to summon spirits from the afterlife, torturing them to extract information before granting them freedom, a method that is described as "quite effective". The dialogue with these spirits changes completely to reflect their undead state, adding a disturbing and immersive layer to the experience.
This mechanic is tied to the game's central conflict between magic and technology, where the ability to communicate with the dead represents a powerful magical tool that contrasts with technological advancement. The lore suggests that the spirits of the dead suffer greatly from their return to the material world, a concept that is explored in the game's deeper narrative, such as with the character @Kerghan, whose philosophy is that ending all life is the logical solution to the suffering of existence, including the torment of summoned spirits. The game's manual, written in a style reminiscent of Victorian literature, provides a pseudo-scientific explanation for the clash between magic and science, further grounding the necromantic elements within the world's lore. This integration of necromancy into the narrative role-playing is considered one of the game's most unique and ambitious features, setting it apart from other RPGs.
There are examples of being able to speak with spirits without using the @Conjure Spiritspell, such as souls that are cursed to remain in the mortal plane and not cross over into the afterlife (@The Void)