Episode 80: Coffin Torpedoes

Happy Halloween, my lovelies! In this special episode of Something Wicked, we're taking a trip through the darker corners of folklore to meet four creatures guaranteed to make you reconsider going outside after sunset. From England's ominous Black Shuck and Orkney's skinless Nuckelavee to Ireland's headless Dullahan and Southeast Asia's terrifying Pontianak, we're digging into the legends, history, and alleged eyewitness encounters behind these nightmares. Expect supernatural horror, disturbing anatomy, questionable survival strategies, and my usual inappropriate commentary. Grab your candy, turn down the lights, and enjoy the madness. And to my brothers and sisters of the craft, blessed Samhain!Supercast: ⁠https://somethingwicked.supercast.com/Merch Store: https://www.bonfire.com/store/something-wicked/?srsltid=AfmBOoqoUZ9E0oqklh7qv⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠VprdsHNbpHO9mDDqftrMWOKmld8JzAX4BI7⁠⁠⁠⁠Nocturne Link: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/artist/7JH36pwH9KwngcIFkeGSyE?si=dD46JbWZSjmIDHm4CEisaQWebsite: ⁠https://www.podpage.com/something-wicked/⁠⁠Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/745031373149930Commercial\Outro music\sound transitions: ⁠⁠https://pixabay.com/⁠

History is full of strange traditions, bizarre beliefs, and people making some truly spectacular decisions. In this episode of Something Wicked, we're diving into the wonderfully unhinged side of the past, from medieval animal trials and Victorian safety coffins to ghost photography, dead kittens getting married, and ancient Egyptian mummies becoming public entertainment. It's creepy, ridiculous, historically fascinating, and proof that humanity has been completely off its rocker for centuries. Grab some popcorn, embrace the madness, and let's git it!Supercast: ⁠https://somethingwicked.supercast.com/Merch Store: https://www.bonfire.com/store/something-wicked/?srsltid=AfmBOoqoUZ9E0oqklh7qv⁠⁠⁠⁠VprdsHNbpHO9mDDqftrMWOKmld8JzAX4BI7⁠⁠⁠⁠Music for episode and Spotify link for Nocturne: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/artist/7JH36pwH9KwngcIFkeGSyE?si=dD46JbWZSjmIDHm4CEisaQWebsite: https://www.podpage.com/something-wicked/⁠⁠Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/745031373149930Commercial & Outro Music & Sound Transitions: ⁠https://pixabay.com/⁠

Grave robbing was such a problem in the 19th century that locks, guards, and iron cages weren't always enough - so some people decided to fight back... with explosives. In this short and delightfully morbid episode, we're diving into the bizarre history of coffin torpedoes, resurrection men, and the ingenious ways grieving families tried to make sure their dearly departed stayed exactly where they put them. Because sometimes, even the dead get the last laugh. Supercast: https://somethingwicked.supercast.com/Merch Store: ⁠⁠https://www.bonfire.com/store/something-wicked/?srsltid=AfmBOoqoUZ9E0oqklh7qv⁠⁠VprdsHNbpHO9mDDqftrMWOKmld8JzAX4BI7⁠⁠⁠⁠Music for episode and Spotify link for Nocturne: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/artist/7JH36pwH9KwngcIFkeGSyE?si=dD46JbWZSjmIDHm4CEisaQWebsite: https://www.podpage.com/something-wicked/⁠⁠Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/745031373149930Commercial/Outro Music/Sound Transitions: https://pixabay.com/⁠

What happens when a human skull decides it lives with you now? This week, we travel through England’s bizarre folklore of “screaming skulls”—human remains said to bring storms, strange noises, bad luck, and outright chaos whenever someone tries to remove them from the homes they’ve claimed as their own. From Theophilus Brome and Bettiscombe Manor to Wardley Hall, Burton Agnes, Calgarth, and the wonderfully unhinged legend of Dickie, we separate documented history from centuries of supernatural storytelling and ask why these skulls were kept in English homes in the first place. The lesson? If the creepy old skull has been sitting peacefully in the house for 300 years, don’t be the asshole who decides to move it.Supercast: https://somethingwicked.supercast.com/Merch Store: https://www.bonfire.com/store/something-wicked/?srsltid=AfmBOoqoUZ9E0oqklh7qvVprdsHNbpHO9mDDqftrMWOKmld8JzAX4BI7⁠⁠⁠Music for Episode and Spotify Link for Nocturne: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/artist/7JH36pwH9KwngcIFkeGSyE?si=dD46JbWZSjmIDHm4CEisaQWebsite: https://www.podpage.com/something-wicked/⁠⁠Facebook Group:https://www.facebook.com/groups/745031373149930Commercial\outro music\sound transitions: https://pixabay.com/⁠

In the final chapter of Comrade Kool-Aid, we enter Jonestown itself, where Jim Jones’ promised socialist paradise has become a nightmare of isolation, surveillance, fear, and control. We follow daily life inside the commune, Congressman Leo Ryan’s fateful visit, the attack at the Port Kaituma airstrip, and the devastating events of November 18, 1978, when more than 900 people—including hundreds of children—lost their lives. We’ll also examine the infamous “Death Tape” and play a brief excerpt, with a clear warning and skip point beforehand for anyone who would rather not hear it. This is the story behind the punchline, the people behind the number, and the horrifying final chapter of Peoples Temple.The Jonestown Death Tape Full Length: https://archive.org/details/ptc1978-11-18.flac16Supercast: https://somethingwicked.supercast.com/Merch Store: https://www.bonfire.com/store/something-wicked/?srsltid=AfmBOoqoUZ9E0oqklh7qvVprdsHNbpHO9mDDqftrMWOKmld8JzAX4BI7⁠⁠⁠Intro\Outro Music for episode and spotify link for Nocturne: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/artist/7JH36pwH9KwngcIFkeGSyE?si=dD46JbWZSjmIDHm4CEisaQWebsite: ⁠https://www.podpage.com/something-wicked/⁠⁠Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/745031373149930Sound effects and commercial music from: https://pixabay.com/⁠

In part 2 of Comrade Kool-Aid, we pick up the story in 1961, as Jim Jones' growing paranoia begins to transform the People's Temple from a seemingly progressive church into something far more controlling and dangerous. As Jones tightens his grip, loyalty becomes obedience, manipulation intensifies, and his followers are drawn further away from their families and the outside world. From relocation and growing political influence to increasingly disturbing methods of control, we follow the road that eventually leads thousands of miles away - to the jungles of Guyana and the beginnings of a place called Jonestown. The tragedy hasn't happened yet... but the road to it has already been built. Supercast: https://somethingwicked.supercast.com/Merch Store: ⁠https://www.bonfire.com/store/something-wicked/?srsltid=AfmBOoqoUZ9E0oqklh7qvVprdsHNbpHO9mDDqftrMWOKmld8JzAX4BI7⁠⁠⁠Music for episode and Spotify link for Nocturne: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/artist/7JH36pwH9KwngcIFkeGSyE?si=dD46JbWZSjmIDHm4CEisaQWebsite: ⁠https://www.podpage.com/something-wicked/⁠⁠Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/745031373149930Sound effects from: https://pixabay.com/⁠

Good news everyone! After an unexpected five month hiatus, Something Wicked returns! In part one of our deep dive into Jim Jones and the People's Temple, we trace the origins of one of history's most infamous cult leaders. Long before the headlines, before Jonestown, and before the phrase "drinking the Kool-Aid" became part of everyday language, there was a charismatic preacher who convinced thousands that he alone held all the answers. How does an idealistic movement become absolute control? How does faith become manipulation? And how does one man gain enough influence to lead hundreds of people toward unimaginable tragedy?Join us as we unravel the rise of Jim Jones, separating the fact from myth while examining the warning signs, psychological tactics, and historical events that transformed a small church into one of the darkest cautionary tales of the twentieth century. This is part one of a multi-part series. supercast: https://somethingwicked.supercast.com/⁠⁠merch store: https://www.bonfire.com/store/something-wicked/?srsltid=AfmBOoqoUZ9E0oqklh7qvVprdsHNbpHO9mDDqftrMWOKmld8JzAX4BI7⁠⁠⁠intro music by and spotify link for Nocturne: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/artist/7JH36pwH9KwngcIFkeGSyE?si=dD46JbWZSjmIDHm4CEisaQwebsite: https://www.podpage.com/something-wicked/⁠⁠facebook group: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/groups/745031373149930All sound effects/commercial and outro music from: https://pixabay.com/⁠

Is Skinwalker Ranch the biggest hoax on television... or the most brilliant example of modern myth-making? This week on Something Wicked, We dive into the folklore, UFO sightings, cattle mutilations, government whispers, billionaire backers, and television editing behind The Secret of Skinwalker Ranch. From Navajo legend to military airspace to the psychology of belief, we peel back the layers to as the real question: are we looking at portals... or at ourselves? Strap in. It's aliens, algorithms, and human nature. Happy listening. Supercast: ⁠⁠⁠https://somethingwicked.supercast.com/⁠⁠Merch Store: https://www.bonfire.com/store/something-wicked/?srsltid=AfmBOoqoUZ9E0oqklh7qvVprdsHNbpHO9mDDqftrMWOKmld8JzAX4BI7⁠⁠⁠Spotify link for Nocturne: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/artist/7JH36pwH9KwngcIFkeGSyE?si=dD46JbWZSjmIDHm4CEisaQWebsite: https://www.podpage.com/something-wicked/⁠⁠Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/745031373149930All music from: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://pixabay.com/⁠

A quiet lover's lane. A cryptic symbol. Letters that turned fear into a media spectacle. In this episode, we take you deep into the unsolved case of the Zodiac Killer - one of the most infamous unidentified murders in American history. From the first attacks on secluded couples to the taunting letters and ciphers sent to newspapers, we break down the crimes, the psychology, the investigations, and the suspects. We examine the evidence, behavioral patterns, and modern interpretations - including insights and claims discussed in the Netflix documentary "This is the Zodiac Speaking" - and explore why Arthur Leigh Allen remains, in Lori's view, the strongest suspect despite ongoing forensic debate. This episode includes detailed case analysis, profiler insight, cipher discussions, media impact, and a responsible look at theory vs proof - all delivered with Something Wicked's signature dark humor and sharp commentary. Listener discretion advised. Unsolved. Unsettling. Unforgettable. Supercast: ⁠⁠⁠https://somethingwicked.supercast.com/⁠⁠Merch store: ⁠ https://www.bonfire.com/store/something-wicked/?srsltid=AfmBOoqoUZ9E0oqklh7qvVprdsHNbpHO9mDDqftrMWOKmld8JzAX4BI7⁠⁠Spotify link for Nocturne: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/artist/7JH36pwH9KwngcIFkeGSyE?si=dD46JbWZSjmIDHm4CEisaQWebsite: ⁠⁠⁠ https://www.podpage.com/something-wicked/⁠⁠Facebook group: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/groups/745031373149930all music from: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://pixabay.com/⁠

Hello my lovelies! Tune in for another extra spooky storytime! Happy listening. Supercast: ⁠⁠https://somethingwicked.supercast.com/⁠Merch Store: ⁠ https://www.bonfire.com/store/something-wicked/?srsltid=AfmBOoqoUZ9E0oqklh7qvVprdsHNbpHO9mDDqftrMWOKmld8JzAX4BI7⁠Spotify link for Nocturne: ⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/artist/7JH36pwH9KwngcIFkeGSyE?si=dD46JbWZSjmIDHm4CEisaQwebsite: ⁠⁠ https://www.podpage.com/something-wicked/⁠facebook group: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/groups/745031373149930⁠all music from: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://pixabay.com/⁠