SPECIAL RE-RELEASE Episode 101: Elizabeth Bathory, the Blood Countess

Between 1590 and 1610, a small village nestled in the heart of Little Carpathia became the hunting ground for one of history’s most prolific serial killers. For the better part of 20 years Elizabeth Bathory, along with a crew of loyal followers, ruthlessly kidnapped, tortured, and murdered young women and girls, earning her the macabre moniker of “The Blood Countess.”

Let’s celebrate 100 episodes with an Espooky collaboration! Cristina, one of the hosts of Espooky Tales, joins us for a discussion about folklore, bonding over horror stories, and everything in between!

In preparation for 100 episodes, enjoy this special re-release of Episode 1 where we discuss the origin story of the Ouija board. The episode also features an original horror story about three girls who messed with a Ouija board, and lived to regret it.

Sometimes horrible things happen in the most mundane of places. The Cecil Hotel is an example of just this. By all intents and purposes, the Cecil should have been a run-of-the-mill hotel with swanky interior and even swankier guests. But a series of unfortunate events would turn this proposed haven for Los Angeles’s elite, into one of the most haunted hotels in the world. WARNING: This episode mentions instances sexual assault and self-harm. Listener discretion of advised.

Would you give anything to reach your goals? Achieve your musical dreams? Have your desires of fame and talent granted?Would you give up your soul, for the music?Some say that Robert Johnson, famed Blues musician, did just - trading his soul to the Devil to become the greatest Blues musician in history.

The Codex Gigas is a religious manuscript written by a 13th century monk that has been so famously dubbed “The Devil’s Bible.” Why? Because it contains a 20-inch tall illustrated portrait of Lucifer that might have been drawn by the Devil himself.

The Frauenkirche is a Gothic Catholic Church located in Munich, Bavaria, in southeastern Germany. Although architecturally it is quite beautiful, the mysterious black footprint that forever mars one of the church's tiles is what attracts visitors - a mark known as The Devil’s Footprint.

Merry Christmas!This year, for our Christmas episode, let’s talk about some not so well known Christmas and Yule folklore and figured- the ones that bring a little spookiness to the Christmas and Yule season.The Ukrainian Christmas SpidersThe Yule CatAnd Frau Perchta, the Winter Witch Goddess

“Sleep paralysis” is defined as episodes of paralysis that occur while someone is awake, or in the middle of falling asleep. Little is known about what causes sleep paralysis. Many psychotherapists believe that the hallucinations experienced during these paralytic episodes are the reason behind most supposed paranormal events. But what if these episodes aren’t the reason for paranormal events, but a window of time where the paranormal is more likely to happen? A window of time where we are most vulnerable?

Have you ever heard of Pareidolia? It is a psychological phenomena that occurs in humans where we think we see faces in different objects. We are desperate to find the familiar in unfamiliar, and sometimes dangerous circumstances. How many times have you thought that you saw eyes staring at you from your closet just for your brain to be playing tricks on you? But what if something was there? Let me introduce to you a famous case that has divided the supernatural community for decades - Las Caras de Belmez.