Castles & Cryptids

It's high time to head back to the Maritimes, but for creepy guys and not true crime time! So we went down the East Coast to collect the weirdest, wildest, and occasionally most depressing/pitiful of the cryptids of North America.

We start with a Pukwudgie, and end with a Squonk, and there are a few other weirdos in between. .Some Creature VIPs if you ask me! Their tricksy, some are teary and weepy as a teenager, and I think we can all relate to that!

So tune in and turn on to some of...

Well, we've done it again, another episode of crimes on the water.Why are there so many cases to choose from? So enjoy pondering Kelsey's "lifeboat case'  an oldie but a crazy one that presents a moral dilemma. What would you do in that situation?

and then Alanna Takes us on a journey of cruise ship crimes. Mostly disappearances,from the well-known story of Amy Bradlel, to a couple called Hue Pham and Hue Tran all who seem to vanish into thin air.Or into deep water....

 Even if not murder, we have some very su...

Hey cryptic cuties! This week we have a wild ep focusing on just some of the different types of twins out there in the world. Kelsey has a collection of some famous conjoined twins over the centuries and how being conjoined effected their lives. Alanna takes things in the opposite direction, with the stories of some twins who were intentionally separated at birth and raised by different families in a study of nature vs. nurture. Closing the ep out are some anecdotes of twin telepathy. 

Happy listening! Let us know if you know any twins and do t...

This week we are back with a vengeance! First up is the story of Lauren McCluskey. A track and filed star who story ended too soon in a tragic way, involving stalking. The repercussions were great from this horrible, yet probably preventable murder.

Then it's on to something completely different with 10 Cent Beer Night. Alanna covers this infamous Cleveland baseball promo-night-gone-wild. And it does get fairly nude and violent, as Monty Python might say! So get ready for a roller-coaster episode all about athletes and insanity! Cause Sports!!

Darkcast Promo of the week : Missing in...

We're back, did you miss us? This week we have some very creepy hospitals to share with you, one located very far from us, and another much closer to home. Kelsey covers the Clark Air Base Hospital, a sinister building with a violent past, it is no surprise it is said to be super haunted. 

Alanna tells us about the Charles Camsell Hospital, featuring first hand accounts from patients and nurses, it's safe to say its complicated history has both good and very dark experiences. 

Don't go exploring any abandoned buildings, you may find yourself be...

Hello you lovely listeners and happy Friday! We had a busy week here in Cryptic-ville, so here's a little double feature to get you through to our next episode. We think you'll enjoy!

It's our friends over at F**k That pod, with two gripping tales. The Eastbound Four:The West Atlantic City Murders is first up. Covering the murders of Kim Raffo, Barbara Breidor, Molly Jean Dilts, and Tracy Ann Roberts in 2006, you won't want to miss it. 

Then it's The Disappearance of Frederick Valentich which we had never heard of before and are h...

This week we pry into some closed-up cases- a couple mysteries with some big clues and many questions. Like Kelsey covering the death of Mee Kuen (Deborah) Chong, a woman who was just selling her house. She was then tragically killed and the police were left to try and unravel the reason why. 

Finally we have the case of the Spy in the Bag, aka the death of Gareth Williams, a highly intelligent agent skilled in math and codes. The man was working for MI6 at the time of his death, and the details just don't add u...

Hey cryptic cuties, we hope you are enjoying our South America focused eps for the last couple weeks. We love learning about different countries and their folklore, and are always excited to share it with you all. 

Kelsey takes a dive into the beliefs of the Mapuche people of Chile and Argentina, whose folklore centers around duality and balance between opposing forces, bleeding into everything, including their creatures. 

Alanna shares the history of el duende, a trickster spirit that may try to lure you into the woods. It is said to target lonely single women , or...

Heading to Argentina this week, to see what true crimes we can find there, and boy did we find a few. Starting off with a wild yet mostly harmless robbery.

Remember our first heist episode, 10,000 years ago? Neither do we, but we know Kelsey's case had fake mustaches, just like this case, but this one sees your fake mustache, and raises you a fake yarmulke! It's kind of bonkers really, with Ninja turtle inspired plans and themed names, negotiations by Pizza the hut*, and elaborate plans, this case is a real Oceans 7-11 meets the Italian-American job!<...

You only live once, you know what they say! Or do you? For some people's stories, it's not so clear.

In Kelsey's case, a woman puts the "awake" back in, well, a wake. The Legend of Margorie McCall, or the Lady with the Ring, is steeped in mystery as only a story from the 1700's can be. From body-snatchers to romantic doctors to dramatic jump-scare surprises, it really runs the gamut. Don't miss it and don't mess with the Lady of the Ring!

We time-travel forward to 1990 for the British Airways accident of Flight 5390. Also...

Move over Ace Ventura, we have a furry team of case-cracking critters on the team! At least 3 birds, including a pet duck, cats and dogs too. All solving the murder or missing persons case of their owner or someone else entirely!

It's a rowdy, wild round-up of pet hair, disgruntled employees, a Beady-Eyed Lane bird, TSA tangents, and movie mentions of course! Oh and Gordo the diva cat inserts himself in the mix,  we think he was jealous of all the animal attention, maybe?

Tune in to these tails of true crime and send us p...

We hope you survived last weeks ep, this one is much lighter. We thought we should celebrate Spring, renewal and rebirth, with a bit of a cryptid twist. First we learn about the Miniwashitu, a creature who is both feared and respected by the Indigenous groups in North Dakota. Its arrival in the spring is long awaited, and it also has a very important job to do. 

Next up is the Tiyanak, a terrifying creature from Filipino folklore that commonly takes the form of a helpless baby. Once you have been lured closer by its crying, its a...

So it's another true crime, so we warn you it sucks. However. we always can learn something, we hope.

Kelsey tells us of the story of Maria and Domenico, a Telanovela -esque tale that might just also qualify as a tale as old s time.

Then we have a massive trigger warning for graphic details, etc. 

Unfortunately, mental health issues plagued Vince Li. so he tried to make himself as safe S POSSIBLE.  Listen to find out. 

Love you all, Keep it Cryptic!

We LOVE our Darkcast Network shows, such as Cause of Death: !00 Seconds to Midnight! This show reminds us when and why to really be wary of humanity's collapse! Are we really going down with the next big Volcano eruption? etc. 

It's so fascinating my friends, so sit back and see if bats are going to kill us or not. Or something else!

And we shall return next eek for your regular scheduled programming! so Keep it Cryptic!

Everyone wish Alanna a happy birthday!!! For this very special ep we covered two very old civilizations and cultures that have definitely left their mark on history. The eruption of Mount Vesuvius caused devastating damage to Pompeii and surrounding areas, but how much do you really know about the city? We take a trip back in time and learn a bit about what life may have been like over 2000 years ago. 

Alanna takes a deeper look into some Celtic traditions, from fire festivals to handfasting, and a whole lot more. 

We hope you enjoy, happy St...

APOLOGIES for the Delay, tech issues struck again! Trigger warning: for Abuse, Attempted Suicide, Miscarriage and sexual abuse mentions. Please listen with care. 

Old Hollywood Part Two is here and its all about the "Goddess and the Gangster" aka Lana Turner and Johnny Stompanato. Let's just say it's a bit of a rollercoaster, rags to riches story with a raging violent streak.

We go through Lana's early life and who she married before she met Johnny (she could give Liz Taylor a run for her money!) and their love story. Of course, it's true crime s...

Hey cryptic cuties, this week we take a trip back in time to the Golden age of Hollywood.  In 1949 Jean Spangler was a star on the rise, only in her late 20's she was already a triple threat and seemed to be gaining more recognition for her many talents. All that changed  when Jean didn't return home the morning after shooting for a new film all night. As investigations began, more and more questions are raised with very few answers. Tune in as we unravel all the details, from theories and suspects, to the possible connection to another famous Ho...

Join us as we discover and uncover some lesser featured notable African Americans for Black History Month! So many people have fought so hard for their rights in history, we love learning about the ones we never learned much of in school. 

Kelsey tells us the life and legacy of Marsha P. Johnson, an activist, drag queen, and American sweetheart that took New York by storm. She is remembered for her work in gay rights, as well as advocating for trans rights and AIDS activism. Truly a treasure that did so much for her community, and was t...

Social media has been a huge part of our lives for the last 20 years, with its ability to connect people from all around the world to brightening someones day with a viral video or meme. Todays ep features 2 cases when social media platforms were used for a far more sinister reason. Kelsey covers a series of Death Lists that appeared on Facebook in early 2010, targeting almost 100 young people in Columbia it led to the death of 3 people before police took it seriously. 

Alanna details the case of Claire Miller, who stabbed her older sister in a sudden a...

What is the occult? It's the supernatural, the spiritual and mystical beliefs and practices. So it can be so many things, really. Which we love! 

Kelsey covers an early tarot-researcher and occultist named Etteilla, from 18th-century France. He made significant strides in tarot card reading in his time. And then for something completely different! 

Scent, memory and the spiritual side of fragrance use like incense is the theme of Alanna's segment. Some people believed that incense helped guide the soul to its final repose after death, and we discuss what makes bad "scent branding" and ot...

This week we have two very different survival stories for you, featuring a lot of trigger warnings, so take care of yourselves as you listen. 

Kelsey shares the story of Jennifer Holiday and her cousin Ana Franklin, who are on a late night drive when a vehicle begins following them. What happens next is something anyone would struggle to keep their cool during. Alanna covers the Teka Adams case, filled with strange and bizarre actions, it feels straight out of a horror movie. 

Shout out to the I Survived tv show, check it out for mo...

Hey cryptic crew, happy Friday and Happy New Episode!! to bookend our haunted spaces episode, let's head to some far-off spots with spooks and stuff!

Alanna has a short list  of haunted suspects, so let's explore some creepy places together!

From so-called Ghost Churches, to sunken burial lagoons, it's a whole new world for us in this episode! Just not a happy one....

Welcome cryptic cuties, this week we take another dive into our haunted places series, this time with a very old and very creepy island. Poveglia Island, located in the Venice lagoon, dates back to the 5th century and has a troubling past that has earned it the title of the island of no return. 

With everything from sickness, quarantines, death and mass graves, to psychiatric hospitals and lobotomies, this place checks all the boxes and is definitely haunted AF.  The people who have managed to get to the island, report a lot of paranormal activity and a wh...

Where there's smoke, there's fire...even on the water. We do keep coming back to this well (pun very much intended), of watery cases, as so many strange cases happen when one loses their life on the water. Or around the water, or in a flaming boat like a little too-early of a Viking funeral. Woof, sorry, this one is very dark indeed, with 2 cold cases of murder offshore.

Kelsey takes us to Alaska, where the Coulthurst family was taking their annual fishing vacation. We still aren't sure why it ends in tragedy, with a family dead...

Welcome back cryptic crew, we are ringing in the New Year with some New Age Cryptids!

Some are classic-inspired cryptids, others more “fakelore”, as Kelsey will tell us where that term came from, and about some of the creepiest of the creepy-pasta creatures. Slenderman, also the AI-created cryptid, Momo, we rounded up the best Internet horror-shows in her segment!

To cap off the piles of creeps, Alanna retaliates with the Ouija board demon, the connection to an ancient Babylonian wind demon, and the Exorcist! Hope to heck this does not haunt any of us, we are...

Hey cryptic cuties, we have a much lighter ep this week! Revisiting something disscussed all the way back in our 1st ep about Death Omens, we have Doppelgängers. 

The idea of doublewalkers, evil twins, fetch, ka, or spirit doubles, has been around for centuries from all around the world. While some stories of their appearance seem to bring illness, bad luck or even death, others seem to be more benevolent. 

Kelsey shares some examples of historical figures who are said to have encountered their own doubles, while Alanna has some more recent stories off Red...

Hope this finds you well, and also before we begin:

 Massive Trigger Warning For Sexual Assault

So, this week's focus is true crime in Egypt. Kelsey talks us through the murders of a complicated predator, Karim Salim. which is rough enough.

Then, Alanna walks us through some hard truths about the safety of simply  being women protesters in Egypt. Just fighting for their rights puts many women in danger of sexual harassment and assault. Can we fight the crowds of predators and win? We hope so. 

Please listen with care and alw...

(Sorry the description didn't save the first go!) 

Happy Friday and Happy December Cryptic Crew! So happy you could join us for another adventure, we hope you love conspiracies as much as we do. This week we bring you an oldie but a goody as it’s Government Secret Projects! And sometimes they turn out to be truth that’s stranger than fiction. It’s an early Patreon bonus ep., so be patient if it sounds a little different, but it’s a really fun one so please enjoy.

Kelsey brings us the story of the US Ar...

Hope you enjoyed the last episode, and now for something completely different! Sort of, since this psychic has been known to have some spot-on visions, never took to a stage like some brothers, ahem, and may have made some other, very outlandish predictions!

Meet seer, mystic, and healer Baba Vanga, the star of this story. Point-of-view, its the early 1900's, you lost your mother and went blind, but gained some other senses.. so what do you do? Help people of course! 

But also maybe you make some predictions about world wars, alien intelligence and human e...

We've covered the Fox sisters, but have you heard of the Davenport brothers? In the days of the rise of spiritualism, people flocked to see anyone claiming to see beyond the grave. Or better yet, to interact with the spirit world. 

So when Ira Erastus and William Henry Davenport came on the scene with their cabinet of curiosity, many were curious themselves. Names big and small set out to see the brothers, including a certain famous mystery writer and massive magician, the cameos are just plentiful!

Leaving a trail of awed crowds, angry mobs and e...

We have a mega-sized episode for you that coincided nicely with Remembrance Day being this week! Hope you have some long drive or big pile of dishes, we guess?? Or maybe you listen at work, like Alanna. So sorry, but this one is NOT Safe For Work. Earbuds in, in presence of kiddos. 

And as we discuss, you're never safe, not even at work, not even if you work as a trained soldier, not if someone decides they want you dead. Kelsey tells the tale of Tyrone Hassell III, who lived up to his awesome name by j...

We hear dead people! Haha, we promised a local hometown haunt and here it is. Alanna reads to us of the haunting encounters that happen at the McKay Avenue School, an institution established in Edmonton in 1881. You know the big old buildings that look like they could be old-timey jails or schoolhouses? That's the vibe, only now it's a museum where the spirits tease the workers like they may have pranked their teachers so long ago! And since Leslie Nielson was a student, you know stuff went down!

So join us, Gordo the Interrupting Ca-(Meow!), Ron...

We are sorry, but this week we get super spooky, so come along on the  spectral wild ride! 

Gather round the campfire, a bevy of tales await you! First Kelsey graces us with several ghost encounters of the worst kind-knocks, sounds and sights of a poltergeist. Several tales like  The Haunted Ventriloquist make us scared to know more. Chuckie, are you listening?

Next, Alanna Takes us down the haunted road to the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver, where many films are made and a Lady in Red resides.  The Local ghost story will be a bonus ep as I...

Horror season is in full swing, and we have some scary stories for you, my cryptic cuties! We are so excited to be joined by special guest Lindsay Valenty of the Ye Olde Crime Podcast for some true or false tales of creeps!

If you are on Patreon, you know we have done our version of 2 Truths, 1 Lie scary stories and had so much fun , so here's some more you can play along with at home!

So listen in, guess along, there will be ghosts on stairs, in closets, naked men stealing pizzza, you name...

This week we conclude the Gainesville Student Murders, sometimes known as the Gainesville Ripper Murders. 

They do make for a scary movie, targeting a young, defenseless, student population. From a triple-murder to the killing of the  Gainesvillle victims, this killer was vicious, yet cautiaus. Who's lying?

But however terrifying, there were some details that the movies got wrong. We can be stranger than we think, so stay strong! 

Love y'all and Keep It Cryptic!

Darkcast promo of the week: And Then they Were Gone

Art and Life, movies and madness, do they always go hand in hand? We take a look at two cases that sit on different sides of the "inspired by"  storyline. 

Kelsey covers Allan Menzies, a story that involves mental illness, an obsession with the Queen of the Damned, and a very sad loss of innocent life. Movies often get blamed for inciting violent tendencies, but how much culpability can we give them when the movie is telling the person to do something truly evil? Can movies be accessories to murder?

Turning the tables, Alanna takes us...

Welcome to spooky season cryptic cuties, we hope you enjoyed the darkcast takeover ep last week. Join us as we take a dive into the vast world of vampire lore, for what is sure to be the first part of a series. 

Kelsey has the down low on how to avoid becoming a vampire, from different things to avoid, to anti-vampire burial methods. We discuss rules from Buffy the Vampire Slayer (we are both team Spike btw), and other common vampire myths, like aversion to garlic, holy water, sunlight and crossing running water to escape. 

Al...

Hey happy Friday and Happy Spooky Season!! This week we are taking time to bank some episodes, watch some Horror movies for our special Patreon Halloween Movie Mash-up (Is that a good name? lol) and catch up so we can come back next week and be ready to do that Monster Mash!!

So here's a sister show from the hella good Darkcast Network, Hands Off My Podcast, a true crime podcast hosted by Jasmine Castillo. It's the story of Colten Pratt who went missing in Winnipeg, Manitoba, so of course a Canadian case hits close to our...

This week we dove into two cases that bed the question, Why? and also How? whether its the classic dead body-in-a-locked-room style murder mystery, or a horrific multiple-murder with no apparent  motive, some murders are a true mystery.  Or maybe, not murders at all, in some cases. 

So Kelsey hits us with the Keddie cabin murders, a malicious crime that remains mysterious to this day. Why were they targeted, and why was some family left alive?

Alanna's case is a true locked-room conundrum, how did Margaret Schilling get out of her super-locked hospital ward and wha...

Hey, Cryptic Cuties, let's take a trip together to some abandoned places of the world. Tales of wealthy towns that prospered and grew but were ultimately left or destroyed. Sometimes we don't even really know, leaving more of an air of mystery. 

Kelsey takes us to India, and the ruins of Hampi, including impressive structures like the Hemakuta Hill Temple and the Lotus Mahal. Sounds as good as it looks, honestly.  

On the other side of the world, we head with Alanna back to Pirate territory, and the Jamaican town known as Port Royal. This ci...