Poe agrees to one but Alan seems to be determined to prove Poe's claims that his stories based on actual events and occurrences in his life are in fact, fictional. Alan goes further and claims that there is no such things as ghosts and it's a lot of baloney. So Poe's drinking companion, Lord Blackwood challenges Alan to stay at his haunted castle for the night, it being All Soul's Eve, and if he survives then Lord Blackwood will give him a 100 pounds. However, Lord Blackwood warns him that anyone who has taken this bet before has never been seen alive again, but this just spurs Alan into saying he'll do it for 10 pounds. With the bet on, the three men leave the pub to travel to the castle.