Ominous Origins

Dead Children's Playground

In the first episode of season 4, I start a 50 episode series on strange and weird happenings within the USA. It will henceforth be called: The Eerie USA. I hope you enjoy the first episode... The Dead Children's Playground!Tucked away in Huntsville, Alabama lies a cemetery – Huntsville's largest in fact. It was founded in 1822, but was believed to be used as a burial ground prior to that. Over the years the cemetery has expanded, and the town around it has as well. Now, just as we all die one day and our bodies need a resting place, we are also born. That may be a weird segue, but I have my reasons!Generally kids need a place to play, grow, and have fun, right? We all remember going to the park as kids and squealing down the metal slide (you can hear it too when you read that, don’t lie), climbing on the bars, and swinging on the swings, but your playground probably wasn’t located in a cemetery, was it? Well the kids who live near Maple Hill cemetery have that option. I know many of you are thinking to yourselves as adults, “that’s the damn near coolest thing I’ve ever heard,” and you’re it wrong. But what if I told you the playground wasn’t just reserved for the living?Of course the playground is haunted – look where it is! Multiple reports have given credence to the swings swinging at night, accompanied by the sound of kids playing and the shouts of mothers calling for their children. The cemetery and playground have gone through many changes over the years, but it’s location has never changed. Surrounded by rock walls on almost every side, the park is a sight to make even the most skeptical have a second thought. It’s eerie atmosphere and fascinating history makes for a great story whether the reports of hauntings are true or not. Be sure to listen to the full story on the podcast, and don’t forget that this is just stop one on my tour through the US urban legends.Be sure to leave a review on iTunes or Apple podcasts as well for you chance to win some sweet merch!Our sponsor: www.morbidlybeautiful.comYouTube: Horror ShotsTwitch: www.twitch.tv/horrorshotsplaysWebsite: www.horrorshots.comInstagram: horrorshotsphotographyTwitter: @horrorshotspodFacebook: HorrorshotsPatreon: www.patreon.com/horrorshotsSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/Ominous-Origins-1. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

It's STILL the End of the World.

Last week we tackled the impending doom of our world through mostly Christian means. We went over what eschatology is, what it means, and how it could potentially affect us in the future. Well, as I mentioned, in that cast, almost every religion or culture believes in some kind of end times, but when it comes to Judaism, few can compare.Jewish eschatology has been studied and debated for centuries, and as one of the world’s oldest religions, there’s a plethora of information available. From the second Temple period, to the garden of Eden, there’s so much to talk about, I’m not even completely sure how to sum it up here. There are varying opinions on the same events depending on the specific belief system. There are texts and holy lineage to take into account as well.So what does the end of the world look like to people of the Jewish faith? You’ll just have to listen this week to find out!Our sponsor: www.morbidlybeautiful.comYouTube: Horror ShotsTwitch: www.twitch.tv/horrorshotsplaysWebsite: www.horrorshots.comInstagram: horrorshotsphotographyTwitter: @horrorshotspodFacebook: HorrorshotsPatreon: www.patreon.com/horrorshotsSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/Ominous-Origins-1. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The End Of The World

It’s no secret that throughout the course of history, maybe even since the beginning of human civilization, people have predicted the end of the world. From Y2k to 2012, the world should have ended many times over. However, we’re not just talking about the 2000’s here, it goes well beyond that, predating most of written history – in fact the first sign that people thought the world would end was discovered on a tablet etched in 2800 by the Assyrians. The Christians have their own as well. In fact they may be some of the more well known ones. Possibly the most well known would have to be the rapture. The rapture is a fairly new concept in the world of eschatology, in the sense that it was primarily create by the American evangelical belief system. Of course, this theory is the one where all believers, living and dead, are brought to heaven to be with Jesus. Another well known Christian one is the Final Judgement, or the second coming of Christ. In this theory, Jesus comes back (again) and judges every person on Earth to see if their worthy of an entrance into the kingdom of heaven. Christianity isn’t the only religion in the world that believes in the end times. The old Norse religion had the belief of Ragnarok, which has become more popularized in pop culture in recent years, but the theory tells of a series of events that leads to the end of the world via various battles between gods and other massive supernatural beings. In fact, a good chunk of religions and cultures throughout history and time believed in some sort of catastrophic event that causes the world as we (or they) know it to crumble. Some, like the Indian religions, have more of a cyclical end time where amidst the destruction comes new life, such as Buddhism. Hinduism, Islam, Jehovah’s Witness, Judaism, and Zoroastrianism all have their versions of the End times as well, all of which we’ll explore in the podcast. Lastly, don’t forget to leave a review on iTunes for your chance to win some merch! It’s simple, and it really helps out the cast. Every review left between now and the end of September will enter you in the draw!Be sure to check out www.morbidlybeautiful.com for all your horror pop culture needs!YouTube: Horror ShotsTwitch: www.twitch.tv/horrorshotsplaysWebsite: www.horrorshots.comInstagram: horrorshotsphotographyTwitter: @horrorshotspodFacebook: HorrorshotsPatreon: www.patreon.com/horrorshotsSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/Ominous-Origins-1. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The Dyatlov Pass Incident

Back in 1959 a group of hikers went up into the Ural Mountains to embark on an expedition, little did they know, something would happen. Something terrifying. Something unnatural. Something that was so horrible, not a single one of them survived. Of the nine hikers, all of whom were rather experienced, none made it back home, some were found in the most brutal of ways as well. Named after the group leader, Igor Dyatlov, the incident has gone down as one of the most bizarre and strangest cases of potential supernatural horror in the history of mankind. What really happened on the mountains on those blistery February days may never be known for certain. At the time, the investigation concluded that an “unknown compelling force” had caused the deaths of these people, even though most were found to have died from hypothermia. The other three however, well, they had a much more gruesome fate, which I’ll go into in more detail in the cast itself. For years, since 1959, people have wondered what just happened. From Yeti’s to avalanches, and everything in between, people have come up with theory after theory, all of which I’ll look at during the podcast. This is by far one of the most interesting cases of anything I’ve ever come across, and when I heard about it years ago, I’d always wanted to look more into it. It’s the perfect scenario of mystery, horror, and intrigue. So join me as I look into all the theories and oddities associated with this truly perplexing case from the annals of real horror history.This podcast is brought to you by Morbidly Beautiful, so make sure you check them out at www.morbidlybeautiful.comAs always, I'd love to hear from you, and you can contact me at any of the places below. Also, don't forget to leave a review. They will be read out on the cast, so feel free to drop one on iTunes or Apple PodcastsYouTube: Horror ShotsTwitch: www.twitch.tv/horrorshotsplaysWebsite: www.horrorshots.comInstagram: horrorshotsphotographyTwitter: @horrorshotspodFacebook: HorrorshotsPatreon: www.patreon.com/horrorshotsSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/Ominous-Origins-1. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Dragons | 2 | St George's battle, and the Chinese Dragons

Last week we took a gander at the mythical and legendary beast known as the dragon. We touched upon many aspects in that first part, but much of it was an introduction into the vast pool of lore available. Today I want to delve deeper into some of the specifics, like st. George and his slaying to a dragon in exotic lands and what it meant for his own mythos.Secondly, I will be looking deeper into one of the most well known dragon cultures in the world – the far East. They’re rich in dragon culture, and the most fascinating bit is the contrast between the eastern and western ideas of what a dragon is and represents. One side looks at them as monsters and devils that breath fire and terrorize. The other cherishes them for the good fortune they bring.Even further into the juxtaposition is the appearance of the dragon in the two cultures vary as well. From dinosaurs to serpents, from scaly to colourful. It’s a really fun and interesting look into what makes these creatures so important, not just in the past, but also what they mean today. Not only have dragons had cultural significance, they’ve also played an enormous role in popular culture and a whole genre of entertainment, gaming, and performances. Entire communities are built off the premise of the dragon and their lore. Of course I’m talking about Dungeons and Dragons, the classic table top RPG that has both inspired and been inspired by the collect lore of the almighty dragon.This podcast is brought to you by Morbidly Beautiful, so make sure you check them out at www.morbidlybeautiful.comAs always, I'd love to hear from you, and you can contact me at any of the places below. Also, don't forget to leave a review. They will be read out on the cast, so feel free to drop one on iTunes or Apple PodcastsYouTube: Horror ShotsWebsite: www.horrorshots.comInstagram: horrorshotsphotographyTwitter: @horrorshotspodFacebook: HorrorshotsPatreon: www.patreon.com/horrorshotsSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/Ominous-Origins-1. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Dragons - Part 1

Here’s a biggen. I’ve toyed with the idea of doing a cast on dragons, but it seemed like such a large daunting, fire-breathing task, but alas, I’ve decided to cover it no matter how large the job. I think we’re all pretty familiar with the dragon itself. It’s generally a large, sometimes winged lizard like creature that, in fantasy, breaths fire. Of course, dragons have been major players in all sorts of fantasy since the beginning of fiction, but do they have a role in actual history? Yes, we know that there’s the komodo dragon, but what about the flying and the fire breathing?Well, it comes as no surprise that almost every culture around the world has made reference to the mighty beast at some point in time, but it seems to start where most myths, legends, and spirituality started – ancient Mesopotamia. They had their own version of the dragon which appeared in various writings, such as poems, and other forms of art (sculptures, murals, etc…)Carrying on through time we have Egypt, which had a giant serpent, which appeared to be dragon like in appearance and traits. There are other areas in the Middle East as well that have had their own dragons in their cultures as well. However, it wasn’t just that continent that provided us with great lore on the subject. The far east is well known for their dragons, and parts or Europe also embraced their dragon culture as well.It’s no surprise that these enormous lizards have such a prominent role in so many cultures. They’re fierce and fiery, strong and powerful, everything every nation wants to have represent them. So be sure to listen, review, and subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, or YouTube so you never miss an episode!This podcast is brought to you by Morbidly Beautiful, so make sure you check them out at www.morbidlybeautiful.comAs always, I'd love to hear from you, and you can contact me at any of the places below. Also, don't forget to leave a review. They will be read out on the cast, so feel free to drop one on your favorite podcast listening site.YouTube: Horror ShotsWebsite: www.horrorshots.comInstagram: horrorshotsphotographyTwitter: @horrorshotspodFacebook: HorrorshotsPatreon: www.patreon.com/horrorshotsSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/Ominous-Origins-1. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The History of Demons: Paimon

In honour of the movie, Midsommar by director Ari Aster, I bring you the demon Paimon. What connection does that have to Midsommar? Well, if you saw Hereditary, then you would know that Paimon features quite prominently within that film. If you need more links, Hereditary was directed by Ari Aster. Boom, connections. Anyway, Paimon is a real demon, and not just a prop name used for plot devices, and if I remember correctly, the movie wasn’t too far off from the nature of the demon himself – of course with some artistic liberty taken.Paimon is a rather high ranking demon within Hell, and owns the domain to the West – one of only four demons to preside over the cardinal directions. When summoned, Paimon likes to have a rather grand entrance, with a chorus of men playing various instruments to announce him. If that doesn’t happen, or isn’t grand enough for him, he literally screams as loud as he can. That may not sound too special, but his roar is said to be the loudest, or one of the loudest, of any demon. Ear shatteringly loud. Maybe even head popping loud – though, I couldn’t find documentation of that (yet, there’s still hope).He’s said to be very loyal to Lucifer, and is often depicted as having a very feminine face, or even having the face of a woman on the body of a male. I also mentioned that he’s a pretty high ranking demon, well, he’s in charge of several hundred legions of demons as well. Lastly, he’s a smarty pants. It’s believed that he possesses knowledge that no living mortal should have, and he’ll share it as well. I’m talking secrets to the universe type stuff.To learn more, you’ll just have to listen to the cast! Don’t forget to leave a review on iTunes! And Check out my YouTube channel, featuring some new Let's Plays very soon!This podcast is brought to you by Morbidly Beautiful, so make sure you check them out at www.morbidlybeautiful.comAs always, I'd love to hear from you, and you can contact me at any of the places below. Also, don't forget to leave a review. They will be read out on the cast, so feel free to drop one on your favorite podcast listening site.YouTube: Horror ShotsWebsite: www.horrorshots.comInstagram: horrorshotsphotographyTwitter: @horrorshotspodFacebook: HorrorshotsPatreon: www.patreon.com/horrorshotsSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/Ominous-Origins-1. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The Nephilim

This week’s episode is all about the giants that once walked the Earth – the Nephilim, and boy did I open up a massive can of worms with this one. It seems that nobody can 100% agree on just what they were, or where they came from. Theories range from fallen angels, to angel offspring – to bloody aliens that created the human race. It’s been a pretty crazy trip, however the only aspect that is agreed upon is that these creatures were literal giants, massive beings that towered over man in early biblical times. Goliath, from David and Goliath was believed to be a descendant of one as well, giving credence to the angel involvement theory.One article I came across made it seem like the author was dead certain that not only did they exist as a sort of supernatural being, and that they weren’t borne of angels, but that they were in fact of the Earth and preceded man only to create them as we know it. That’s maybe my favourite theory for the boldness of claim if nothing else. It was also believed, though not by the same person, that these giant beings were the cause of the great flood mentioned in the bible as well.As I mentioned, while looking into these creatures, I came across a number of theories ranging from a little zany, to pretty well thought out. However, if there’s one thing I learned from doing this podcast over the years is that you can’t rule anything out when exploring the supernatural. Every theory always has a degree of merit to it, as it’s almost impossible to prove anything one way or another. What seems like it’s guaranteed to be a supernatural sighting or phenomenon often has a very valid scientific reasoning behind it – but it’s not always able to explain every last detail. That seems to be the case with the Nephilim. It seems to be agreed, even in science to a degree, that giants did walk the Earth at some point, but to what degree? And what are their true origins?Listen on, and maybe I’ll uncover some truth behind the goliaths!This podcast is brought to you by Morbidly Beautiful, so make sure you check them out at www.morbidlybeautiful.comAs always, I'd love to hear from you, and you can contact me at any of the places below. Also, don't forget to leave a review. They will be read out on the cast, so feel free to drop one on your favorite podcast listening site.Website: www.horrorshots.comInstagram: horrorshotsphotographyTwitter: @horrorshotspodFacebook: HorrorshotsPatreon: www.patreon.com/horrorshots Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/Ominous-Origins-1. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.