Lore

Human culture has a different expression no matter where you go. Despite that variety, though, we do share one common thread: music. And while it has typically been a source of joy, there have been moments when music has brought something else: fear, pain, and horror. * * * Official Lore Website: www.lorepodcast.com Extra member episodes: www.patreon.com/lorepodcast Access premium content!: https://www.lorepodcast.com/support

Nearly four centuries ago, a wave of sickness spread through a community in the French countryside. It wasn't a traditional disease they were fighting, though. This plague had a more sinister source. * * * Official Lore Website: www.lorepodcast.com Extra member episodes: www.patreon.com/lorepodcast Access premium content!: https://www.lorepodcast.com/support

Fear has a way of spreading. It's contagious, moving from person to person. Given enough time, fear can consume an entire community. Sometimes, though, there's good reason to be afraid. * * * Official Lore Website: www.lorepodcast.com Extra member episodes: www.patreon.com/lorepodcast Access premium content!: https://www.lorepodcast.com/support

Folklore is more than just a collection of stories; it's the soul of a culture or location. Without them, our world has less texture and beauty. And like the stories themselves, some places have spirits that creep in and take up residence. * * * Official Lore Website: www.lorepodcast.com Extra member episodes: www.patreon.com/lorepodcast Access premium content!: https://www.lorepodcast.com/support

The more crowded our world becomes, the more frequently we are confronted with our commonality. Our interests, our passions…even our appearance. But just how similar can we get? Well, that's the stuff of folklore. * * * Official Lore Website: www.lorepodcast.com Extra member episodes: www.patreon.com/lorepodcast Access premium content!: https://www.lorepodcast.com/support

Our connection to animals is ancient, intimate, and complex. Humans have worshiped them, sacrificed them, lived with them, and been buried with them. But folklore from all over the world hints at a darker connection, and it just might be true. * * * Official Lore Website: www.lorepodcast.com Extra member episodes: www.patreon.com/lorepodcast Access premium content!

History is full of criminals. They come in all shapes, sizes, and flavors. Some are cheerful, some are dark. Some, however, steal more than money or precious belongings. To be caught in their web means paying the ultimate price. * * * Official Lore Website: www.lorepodcast.com Extra member episodes: www.patreon.com/lorepodcast Access premium content!: https://www.lorepodcast.com/support

We crave safety. We build rules and systems and even physical barriers in order to create a sense of security. But darkness has a way of creeping in, no matter how powerful the walls might be. * * * Official Lore Website: www.lorepodcast.com Extra member episodes: www.patreon.com/lorepodcast Access premium content!: https://www.lorepodcast.com/support

The Spiritualist movement placed a large focus on reaching beyond the veil, which made us the outsiders pressing into a foreign realm. In the late 1800's, however, that realm pressed back, and what a wonder it turned out to be. * * * Official Lore Merchandise: www.lorepodcast.com/shop Member-only Episodes: www.patreon.com/lorepodcast Access premium content!: https://www.lorepodcast.com/support

It's often said that our real identity is the person we are in private, away from the public eye. Over two centuries ago, however, one person gave life to that idea, and in the process, gave birth to an entirely new thing to fear. * * * Official Lore Merchandise: www.lorepodcast.com/shop Member-only Episodes: www.patreon.com/lorepodcast Access premium content!: https://www.lorepodcast.com/support

Tragedy is never something we plan for. It sneaks up on us like a bandit in the night, and takes away our sense of security and purpose. But throughout history, there have been places so plagued by tragedy that those who live near them consider these locations to be cursed. * * * Official Lore Merchandise: www.lorepodcast.com/shop Member-only Episodes: www.patreon.com/lorepodcast Access premium content!: https://www.lorepodcast.com/support

Our world is full of mysterious sightings, but most of them can be explained away with cold logic and common sense. When multiple reports flood in, though, the unbelievable can sometimes become undeniable. * * * Official Lore Website: www.lorepodcast.com Extra member episodes: www.patreon.com/lorepodcast Access premium content!: https://www.lorepodcast.com/support

For almost as long as there have been stories of supernatural beings, there have been tales of those who hunt them. From ancient traditions to Hollywood blockbusters, these characters have filled our imaginations. But in 1969, those ideas became real. * * * Special Soundtrack Chad Lawson (#1 iTunes, #1 Billboard, #1 Amazon) has written a full album of original music for this episode. That album, Dark Conclusions: The Lore Variations, is available today for purchase and streaming. Learn more here: http://www.chadlawson.com/lore * * * Official Lore Merchandise: www.lorepodcast.com/shop Member-only Episodes: www.patreon.com/lorepodcast Access premium content!: https://www.lorepodcast.com/support

A Halloween treat to add a bit of dark history to your week. Each Lore "Trick or Treat 2016" episode is a collection of two of my favorite "shorts" in one place. Perfect for a rainy day, a walk in the dark, or a campfire gathering. This episode includes "In a Pickle" and "Drained". * * * Official Lore Merchandise: www.lorepodcast.com/shop Member-only Episodes: www.patreon.com/lorepodcast Access premium content!: https://www.lorepodcast.com/support

We say it all the time. It's a phrase we hang our hopes on. It represents our wants and desires. But "a dream come true" has an older, darker side as well. Darker, and a lot more creepy. * * * Official Lore Merchandise: www.lorepodcast.com/shop Member-only Episodes: www.patreon.com/lorepodcast Access premium content!: https://www.lorepodcast.com/support

A Halloween treat to add a bit of spook to your week. Each Lore "Trick or Treat 2016" episode is a collection of two of my favorite "shorts" in one place. Perfect for a rainy day, a walk in the dark, or a campfire gathering. This episode includes "Peg & Button" and "Behind the Door". * * * Official Lore Website: www.lorepodcast.com Extra member episodes: www.patreon.com/lorepodcast Access premium content!: https://www.lorepodcast.com/support

Civilization was transformed the moment we discovered it. We've built it into our religions and use it to advance our technology. Whether we take it for granted or not, there's a darker side to this tool, and if we're not careful, we might get burned. * * * Official Lore website: www.lorepodcast.com Extra member episodes: www.patreon.com/lorepodcast Access premium content!: https://www.lorepodcast.com/support

Throughout history, certain individuals have managed to rise to the challenge in the face of difficulty. But in 1827, that attitude was taken to a new—and horrific—level. * * * Official Lore website: www.lorepodcast.com Extra member episodes: www.patreon.com/lorepodcast Access premium content!: https://www.lorepodcast.com/support

Most of our fears can be blamed on a deeper, more instinctive anxiety: we hate losing control. And no place on earth represents that sensation more viscerally than prison. Contrary to popular belief, though, not all prisons have been created equal. * * * Official Lore website: www.lorepodcast.com Extra member episodes: www.patreon.com/lorepodcast Access premium content!: https://www.lorepodcast.com/support

We've been taught since childhood to be honest, because our actions have consequences and our words can hurt people. But the events that took place in a Scottish village over three hundred years ago took that lesson to a darker level. * * * Official Lore website: www.lorepodcast.com Extra member episodes: www.patreon.com/lorepodcast Access premium content!: https://www.lorepodcast.com/support

The older the city, the more stories there seem to be. Some places are home to tragedy, while others have played host to disaster or war. Few cities have it all, though, and judging by the pain those stories often reveal, that might be a good thing. To explore this episode on Apple Maps, click here. ———————————————— Lore Resources: Episode Music: lorepodcast.com/music Episode Sources: lorepodcast.com/sources Lore News: www.theworldoflore.com/now

For as long as humans have lived together in community, there has been the need for crimes and disputes to be settled by some form of court. Many of those trials have been fair, while others have been unjust. Some, though, have been downright weird. * * * Official Lore Website Access premium content!: https://www.lorepodcast.com/support

Humans have always wandered off into unexplored territory. It's a key part of our identity to leave safety behind in pursuit of adventure. Those journeys, though, don't always end in success. In fact, sometimes they end in horrible tragedy. * * * Official Lore Website Access premium content!: https://www.lorepodcast.com/support

For as crowded as this world has become, most people feel isolated and alone. Perhaps that's why so many of us believe that there's another world, just beyond the veil. But when that veil is tampered with and pulled aside, it's hard to say what might emerge. * * * Official Lore Website Support Lore Access premium content!: https://www.lorepodcast.com/support

The cities and buildings where tragedy has concentrated over the years always seem to hold stories. Stories of loss, of pain, and of things that refuse to move on. That quality, though, isn't unique to places on land. * * * Official Lore Website Get extra Lore episodes Access premium content!: https://www.lorepodcast.com/support

Popular culture is obsessed with the idea of a lost humanity. Countless films, novels, and television shows all ask the same question: what would happen if only a few of us were left? Unfortunately, the answer was discovered a century ago off the coast of Mexico. * * * Lore Merchandise Extra Lore episodes on Patreon Access premium content!: https://www.lorepodcast.com/support

Folklore has often developed as a response to real-world events, but the opposite has also been true. History has, upon occasion, unintentionally confirmed ancient tales. And nowhere is this more evident, or more bloody, than in the tale of one particular 16th-Century countess. * * * Official Lore Website Access premium content!

Folklore can change and evolve over time. But when we uncover the roots of these stories, we often find that the real events at their core are the darkest version of all. * * * Official Lore Website Access premium content!: https://www.lorepodcast.com/support

Maybe it's human pride, or maybe it's a tendency toward superstition, but humans are very good at making excuses. When things don't go our way or when something breaks, there always seems to be a reason for it. And apparently, those excuses have occasionally walked among us. * * * Official Lore Website Access premium content!: https://www.lorepodcast.com/support

We spend every waking moment surrounded by people. People who talk to us, who interact with us, and who are very much alive an breathing. Which is why it's that much more shocking when we stumble upon those who aren't. And it's more common than you'd think. ——————————————————————————————— Official Lore Website Support Lore Novels by Aaron Mahnke Access premium content!: https://www.lorepodcast.com/support

When two boys discovered a macabre surprise while playing in a Connecticut gravel pit, they uncovered more than a piece of the past. Their discovery echoes stories that are much older, stories with roots that reach far deeper than anyone might imagine. ———————————————— Lore Resources: Episode Music: lorepodcast.com/music Episode Sources: lorepodcast.com/sources Lore News: www.theworldoflore.com/now Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com Access premium content!: https://www.lorepodcast.com/support See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Thanks to the writings of Stephen King, the state of Maine has become known as a place of fictional horror and tragedy. But it's at the real-life intersection of Maine's harsh winters and deadly coastline that we find the most tragic stories of all. Stories that no one would want to experience for themselves. ———————————————— Lore Resources: Episode Music: lorepodcast.com/music Episode Sources: lorepodcast.com/sources Lore News: www.theworldoflore.com/now Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com Access premium content!: https://www.lorepodcast.com/support See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Stories leave a mark on us. They can act like scars or decoration, always there, always reminding us of things that happened. But in some cases, those stories leave behind literal, physical marks. Or do they? ———————————————— Lore Resources: Episode Music: lorepodcast.com/music Episode Sources: lorepodcast.com/sources Lore News: www.theworldoflore.com/now Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com Access premium content!: https://www.lorepodcast.com/support See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Safety is a basic human need, and we build a lot of our life around achieving it. This is nothing new, really; humans have always sought safety in a dangerous world. And because of that, it's those moments when safety is shattered that haunt us the most. ———————————————— Lore Resources: Episode Music: lorepodcast.com/music Episode Sources: lorepodcast.com/sources Lore News: www.theworldoflore.com/now Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com Access premium content!: https://www.lorepodcast.com/support See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Humans have been obsessed with escaping the grasp of death for thousands of years. It's impossible, of course, but we dream of it nonetheless. Which makes the events in a small Caribbean village all the more horrifying. ———————————————— Lore Resources: Episode Music: lorepodcast.com/music Episode Sources: lorepodcast.com/sources Lore News: www.theworldoflore.com/now Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com Access premium content!: https://www.lorepodcast.com/support See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Over the centuries, all sorts of methods have been used to govern people. And while some have been just and humane — such as most modern legal systems — others have been more unusual. Social fear, religious tyranny, and military might. However, few examples stand out as much as the events that took place over a century ago on a small island off the coast of Chile. ———————————————— Lore Resources: Episode Music: lorepodcast.com/music Episode Sources: lorepodcast.com/sources Lore News: www.theworldoflore.com/now Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com Access premium content!: https://www.lorepodcast.com/support See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Many family traditions and treasured folktales involve strangers who visit us. What would Christmas be without Santa, after all. But strangers in general are a lot less appealing than we might believe. ———————————————— Lore Resources: Episode Music: lorepodcast.com/music Episode Sources: lorepodcast.com/sources Lore News: www.theworldoflore.com/now Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com Access premium content!: https://www.lorepodcast.com/support See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There are places in the world that we rarely see. Our busy lives never take us there, and as a result, they don't come to mind when we think of chilling tales and frightening lore. But they exist, and despite their inherent light, they too hold a deep darkness. ———————————————— Lore Resources: Episode Music: lorepodcast.com/music Episode Sources: lorepodcast.com/sources Lore News: www.theworldoflore.com/now Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com Access premium content!: https://www.lorepodcast.com/support See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

History is full of examples of moments in time when hysteria and fear ruled common sense. While some of these examples were valid reasons to panic and worry, others were less logical. But that didn't make them any less dangerous. ———————————————— Lore Resources: Episode Music: lorepodcast.com/music Episode Sources: lorepodcast.com/sources Lore News: www.theworldoflore.com/now Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com Access premium content!: https://www.lorepodcast.com/support See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Since the dawn of time, humans have pushed themselves to explore. When that adventure took to the seas, however, it was an invitation for tragedy. The ocean, you see, takes much from us. And sometimes it gives it back. ———————————————— Lore Resources: Episode Music: lorepodcast.com/music Episode Sources: lorepodcast.com/sources Lore News: www.theworldoflore.com/now Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com Access premium content!: https://www.lorepodcast.com/support See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Home is where the heart is. It's where we build our lives and celebrate the things we love. But it can also be the center of tragedy and darkness. On many different levels, there's no place like home. ———————————————— Lore Resources: Episode Music: lorepodcast.com/music Episode Sources: lorepodcast.com/sources Lore News: www.theworldoflore.com/now Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com Access premium content!: https://www.lorepodcast.com/support See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Seeing isn't always a prerequisite for belief. In fact, oftentimes the things we believe in the most strongly are invisible to our naked eyes. But when we experience those invisible things through pain and physical attacks, our belief can become deep, paralyzing fear. ———————————————— Lore Resources: Episode Music: lorepodcast.com/music Episode Sources: lorepodcast.com/sources Lore News: www.theworldoflore.com/now Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com Access premium content!: https://www.lorepodcast.com/support See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For as advanced and civilized as we are, humans are still led by very basic desires. We are drive by a need for safety and shelter. We long for a community to belong to. And we hunger. But not every method of sating our desires is good. Upon occasion, those methods have become downright evil. ———————————————— Lore Resources: Episode Music: lorepodcast.com/music Episode Sources: lorepodcast.com/sources Lore News: www.theworldoflore.com/now Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com Access premium content!: https://www.lorepodcast.com/support See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We leave our loved ones there after they've passed. We treat the space with reverence and solemn deference. Cemeteries are meant to be a final resting place. Sometimes, though, the ones who should be gone try to come back. ———————————————— Lore Resources: Episode Music: lorepodcast.com/music Episode Sources: lorepodcast.com/sources Lore News: www.theworldoflore.com/now Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com Access premium content!: https://www.lorepodcast.com/support See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

At the heart of every horror film is an iconic weapon. Often times they are nondescript and ordinary, but in the hands of a killer they become something more. Something that has the potential to haunt our nightmares. And sometimes those nightmares become reality. ———————————————— Lore Resources: Episode Music: lorepodcast.com/music Episode Sources: lorepodcast.com/sources Lore News: www.theworldoflore.com/now Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com Access premium content!: https://www.lorepodcast.com/support See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

People can be a bit possessive. We love our things, and we cling tightly to them. But what happens when the things we own refuse to let go of us? ———————————————— Lore Resources: Episode Music: lorepodcast.com/music Episode Sources: lorepodcast.com/sources Lore News: www.theworldoflore.com/now Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com Access premium content!: https://www.lorepodcast.com/support See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We don't like to be alone. We hate it. So we tell stories about others, the things at the edges of society. Things we're not sure about. But what if those "others" are more real than we first believed? ———————————————— Lore Resources: Episode Music: lorepodcast.com/music Episode Sources: lorepodcast.com/sources Lore News: www.theworldoflore.com/now Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com Access premium content!: https://www.lorepodcast.com/support See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Life is a careful journey down a pathway that we've set our hearts on. But every now and then we get pulled off the trail. Sometimes that's a good thing, but sometimes it's the stuff of nightmares. ———————————————— Lore Resources: Episode Music: lorepodcast.com/music Episode Sources: lorepodcast.com/sources Lore News: www.theworldoflore.com/now Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com Access premium content!: https://www.lorepodcast.com/support See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

History is full of people who took things too far. Humans are gifted at turning on one another, a skill we've honed over the millennia. But when a small town in colonial Massachusetts needed a scapegoat for a dying hero, they discovered a target who refused to go down without a fight. ———————————————— Lore Resources: Episode Music: lorepodcast.com/music Episode Sources: lorepodcast.com/sources Lore News: www.theworldoflore.com/now Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com Access premium content!: https://www.lorepodcast.com/support See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Humans have a history of making up stories to explain the unexplainable. Sometimes we use those stories to teach our children a moral lesson, or entertain our friends. Sometimes, though, those stories get taken seriously, and the results have been unspeakable. ———————————————— Lore Resources: Episode Music: lorepodcast.com/music Episode Sources: lorepodcast.com/sources Lore News: www.theworldoflore.com/now Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com Access premium content!: https://www.lorepodcast.com/support See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.