Ominous Origins

The California Dark Watchers

California, the place of dreams, coastline, mountains, and of course, dark spirits that lurk in the mountain ranges. It’s the perfect getaway. If you’ve never been to the Golden State, I would highly recommend it, actually. It’s the only place on tour I’ve actually been to, and I would kill to go again – but that’s not the point. The point is, there are some dark entities that stalk the Santa Lucia mountain range, and by dark, I mean quite literally. Affectionately known as the Dark Watchers, these tall and slender beings are the things of lore, but of the folk variety and the literary. With the origins of the story potentially being from the Chumash peoples, though the sources on that are thin at best, it has garnered some popularity in local legends. The most famous source comes from John Steinbeck in his collection of short stories called Flight. He makes reference to the dark figures in the stories, and later on his own son claims to have had run ins with the creatures. These are some very mysterious beings. Not much is known, and only a very small firsthand accounts can be found, and it’s unknown how reputable those sources are as well. Also, it seems that many resources that cite the Dark Watcher recycle the same description and lore. So hopefully I’ll be able to dig up some more detailed accounts. Our sponsor: www.morbidlybeautiful.comYouTube: Horror ShotsTwitch: www.twitch.tv/horrorshotsplaysWebsite: www.horrorshots.comInstagram: horrorshotsphotographyTwitter: @horrorshotspodFacebook: HorrorshotsPatreon: www.patreon.com/horrorshotSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/Ominous-Origins-1. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The Arkansas Legends

Our next stop on the Eerie USA tour features not a specific event or location in Arkansas, but a plethora of places, as it turns out, Arkansas is really quite haunted. There were some incredibly fascinating stories, such as the story of Highway 365, which tells the tale of a young girl asking for a ride. She’s cold, and so she’s offered a jacket. The driver drops her off at home, and well, it turns even more interesting. How about the White River Monster? A giant aquatic monster that lives, and has been spotted multiple times in Newport. There have been dozens of theories on the subject, some supernatural, some a little more tame. If you’re driving through Arkansas, it’s safe to say that you’ve driven on a haunted road, or crossed a dastardly bridge. It seems that there is an disproportionate amount of haunted roads and highways in the state. From Wolf Bayou Bridge, to the Tilly Willy Bridge, there seems to be a haunting everywhere you turn. In this cast, I’m going to branch out from the usual, and cover an assortment of stories from the state. It should be exciting! Also, this is the last cast you can leave a review and be entered to win some merch! Remember, leave a review on iTunes/Apple Podcasts or Stitcher for your chance to win!Our sponsor: www.morbidlybeautiful.comYouTube: Horror ShotsTwitch: www.twitch.tv/horrorshotsplaysWebsite: www.horrorshots.comInstagram: horrorshotsphotographyTwitter: @horrorshotspodFacebook: HorrorshotsPatreon: www.patreon.com/horrorshotSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/Ominous-Origins-1. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The Arizona Skinwalkers

Being a Canadian living in a rather generic part of the country, a desert is something that holds a mystical and nearly magical aspect in my imagination. At the heart of that image sits Arizona, a state rich in native lore and culture. Through what I can only picture are large barren plains and magnificent outcroppings of red rock, lies a land full of intrigue and stories that live on throughout time. And during my research, I wasn’t wrong. Arizona has a plethora of urban legends and ghost stories to siphon through – everything from The Chupacabra, to spirits of the old gold rush haunting mines and trails, I had to eventually pick just one: The Skinwalker. Now, I did something on the Wendigo a long while back, and I thought this would be a bit too similar – then I started finding stories and firsthand accounts, and the results were far too interesting let by. The skinwalker is believed to be a Navajo shaman who, more or less, went to the dark side, something borne of pure evil and remain that way for all time. It’s believed that they can take the form of anything, from bird to wolves; from bears to even humans. These are stealthy, cunning, and deadly hunters. When not shape shifting, they tend to linger in the rather vile form of something that stands about 5 feet, smells of death, and is covered in long shaggy hair. These creatures are the things of extensive lore, and have deep roots in the Navajo, and other native tribes’ cultures. There have been accounts of them all over the USA, but it seems that most of their activity is situated in the Arizona deserts. But, you’ll just have to listen to the cast to find out more about these enthralling creatures.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 Alaskan Triangle

We’re all quite familiar with the Bermuda Triangle – right? The part of the world where everything from people to planes go missing, and is full of other paranormal, or extraterrestrial reports, yeah, you know it. But did you know there is another mysterious triangle out there in the world, and it may even be in your backyard. If you live in Alaska, you’ve probably heard of it. It’s a swath of land between Anchorage, Juneau, and Barrow, and since 1988 more than 15,000 people have gone missing there – a rate that is two times the national average. There are a ton of different theories behind what’s actually causing the disappearances; from aliens to energy vortexes, to simple answers such as geography and the harsh environment. No matter the causes, thousands have disappeared in that specific triangle of land, and that in and of itself is very peculiar. The area began attracting attention in 1972 when a plane carrying political official went missing while flying over the area in October of that year. Over the course of month, hundred searched the area – in fact more than 32,000 square miles were scoured, but no trace of survivors, corpses, or debris were ever located. From there, things only got worse as more and more people and crafts went missing when traveling that fateful passage. So, what is it? Is it aliens, or maybe it’s the Alaskan native legend of the Kushtaka? Perhaps it’s nothing more than a strong magnetic pull, or harsh weather. Whatever the case, I’ll do my best to explore it. So be sure to listen to the entire cast for all the information. Don’t forget as well, there’s still a few more weeks left to drop a review on iTunes or Apple Podcasts for a chance to win some cool stuff! If you’re listening on Stitcher, you can leave a review there and still be entered! Gotta be inclusive!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.

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.