Astonishing Legends

Across England, legends tell of “screaming skulls,” which are human remains said to bring disaster if moved from their resting place. In Dorset, a skull defies removal with deadly consequences; in Derbyshire, “Dickie” halted a railway project; in Yorkshire, Anne’s head demanded to stay within her beloved home; and in Manchester, one cast into a moat unleashed a storm. Whether relics of Celtic head-worship, tools of folk medicine, or grim mementos of an age steeped in mortality, the stories agree on one rule: disturb the skulls at your peril.

Visit our website for a lot more information on this episode.

In tonight’s Dead Letter, you’ll hear a bizarre tale from rural Ohio, one of our favorite strange states, involving a creature known only as the "Lock Looker." This cryptid, with its orangutan-like build, glowing orange eyes, and famous movie scream, lurks near a dam and has been sighted by both the storyteller and their father. It may have been around a while. Join Scott and Forrest as they briefly debate the pronunciation of Orangutan and also delve into this multi-generational mystery.


LINKS:

• Shelby County Parks (Home of Lockington Reserve)
  • https://shelbycopark.org/lockington-reserve

https://www.iea.uzh.ch/dam/jcr:00000000-7c6e-90e4-ffff-ffff84c61003/Ref_Crying_and_Screaming_Jeri.mp3

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=So0nmciiFJg

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News from Scott and Forrest

In tonight’s dead letter… a VFW canteen worker in Michigan has a close encounter with a mysterious cowboy, complete with vintage attire and dollar coins. The stranger asks her to champion his cause of getting “shell shock” recognized for a Purple Heart. After the encounter, the letter he provides vanishes and the general he mentions turns out to be from the Civil War.

Links:

Jim Harold’s Roadhouse Saloon Campfire STory
https://jimharold.com/the-roadhouse-saloon-from-the-files-of-jim-harolds-campfire/

The VFW
https://www.vfw.org/

Shell Shock
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shell_shock

PTSD
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Post-traumatic_stress_disorder

PTSD as a Criteria for a Purple Heart
https://www.dvidshub.net/news/520197/purple-heart-criteria-exclude-ptsd-defense-officials-say

https://www.mghclaycenter.org/hot-topics/denying-purple-hearts-veterans-ptsd-2/

https://www.disabledveterans.org/purple-hearts-for-ptsd/

The ‘Seated Liberty’ Dollar
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seated_Liberty_dollar

Some for sale on Ebay
https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=seated+liberty+dollars+1840-1873&_sacat=0&_from=R40&_trksid=p4432023.m570.l1311

‘The Edge of Tomorrow’ movie which references Verdun as an Alien Battle Site
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edge_of_Tomorrow

Unsolved Mysteries: Paranormal Rangers
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt22336540/

In tonight’s dead letter, a listener recounts a childhood filled with unexplained phenomena in their 1940s Michigan home. From persistent footsteps and unsettling noises like dragging chains and hammering to a menacing presence in their bedroom, the haunting escalated over the years, driving them to seek refuge upstairs. But even then, the activity followed, with something heavy repeatedly stomping on the cast iron cover of the well room just outside their window. Pers

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ball_lightning

Search this page for more on the Jacob Marley quote, “I wear the chain I forged in life…”
https://www.sparknotes.com/lit/christmascarol/quotes/character/jacob-marley/

Witch Ride/Sleep Paralysis
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleep_paralysis

Stephen Prozak Shippy
https://www.strangemusicinc.com/artists/prozak
https://www.youtube.com/@HauntedSaginaw/featured

Iron in Folklore
https://diabolicalconfusions.wordpress.com/2011/02/15/iron-in-folklore-superstitions-explained/


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Alright Astonishing Legends listeners, buckle up! In this special AMA episode, Scott and Forrest are answering your burning questions! We're diving headfirst into everything from the implications of sentient Tesla bots inheriting fortunes (and causing chaos) to the latest updates on the search for Amelia Earhart's lost plane.

We’re also exploring listener questions and thoughts on future stories and the state of Astonishing Legends. We discuss the intricacies of researching paranormal topics, sharing insights into why some stories captivate while others fizzle. There are also several business questions answered from curious fans. And delving into some of our own paranormal experiences, we share thoughts on the cases that have profoundly shaped our perspectives. So join us as we explore the strange, the unexplained, and everything in between, all thanks to the incredible support of YOU, our listeners!

And Scott will be appearing with Rich Hatem in Washington D.C. in just a few weeks! IN the D.C. area? Get TICKETS HERE

And check the Richard Hatem's Paranormal Bookshelf feed in the coming week for a sit-down he did with him about his 'Light in the Dark' Tour.

In tonight’s dead letter… Listener, Isla recalls a childhood park trip in Australia where she and a friend went exploring after her mom’s car broke down in the bush. They wandered too far from the car and observed a void-like, spear-bearing figure on the bank. The bush fell silent and the wind carried songs in an ancient language as they fled back to the car without looking back. Years later Isla still feels watched whenever she strays off the path.

The Movie ‘Get out’ (referring to ‘The Sunken Place’ from the letter)
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5052448/

Artlandish Aboriginal Art Website
https://www.artlandish.com/

Goddard & Wierzbicka (2015) Article on ResearchGate
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/283206413

Wikipedia – "The Dreaming"
https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Dreaming&oldid=1297566697

Petrichor
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petrichor

SAS Survival Handbook
https://a.co/d/6oSBMlQ

‘Songlines’ by Bruce Chatwin
https://a.co/d/6kqf1Oc

‘Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions’ by Edwin A. Abbott
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flatland


Email your stories to [email protected]

In tonight’s dead letter… Listener, Scott recounts a series of unexplained howls heard in the woods near his Alabama home. Night after night, he and his family would sit on the porch and listen, noticing patterns in the sounds. This progresses later to him being stalked by something he could not see.

Alabama Bigfoot Website (via Wayback Machine) Most audio links not working:
https://web.archive.org/web/20110518043255/http://www.alabamabigfoot.com/bigfoot/reports/Recordings.html

RadioLab’s episode ‘Wildtalk’:
https://open.spotify.com/episode/0sug8rBkpypmdnjFEQ3iA3?si=3K7sddfCRiKfLwBlj9qkkg

Predators in Alabama:
https://www.huntsvilleal.gov/environment/animal-services/pet-services/urban-wildlife/

Charle’s Fort’s Wild Talents (Book):
https://a.co/d/8r1l6gz

The Astonishing Legends Episodes on Charles Fort (if you’re curious):

P1
https://open.spotify.com/episode/5kWLAh6t5REHPfKGZloOkb?si=7c98be94c8a44a06

P2
https://open.spotify.com/episode/3QhqHXilyU0DZgFxfWKtjE?si=5bb9bf4d7a444d0a

The Movie ‘Spartan’:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spartan_(film)

The North American Wood Ape Theory:
https://www.woodape.org/

The Alaskan Killer Bigfoot Story:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alaskan_Killer_Bigfoot

https://www.travelchannel.com/show/alaskan-killer-bigfoot-travel-channel-atve-us


Email your stories to [email protected]

This week’s Dead Letter Office is cancelled, but the show will return next week. Thank you for your patience and understanding!

In tonight’s dead letter, listener Jerri-Kay recounts a story from her childhood when her mother witnessed multiple shadow figures entering their bedroom in broad daylight. Later that night, while seemingly half-asleep, when her mom enters her room she yells that she's not her mother and points to lights that only she can see in the room, leaving the family shaken and searching for answers. Were these events positive or negative?

Astonishing Legends' Shadow People Episode: 
https://open.spotify.com/episode/7wNUanfRFXoQ0QOhy5l58L?si=62193edf57854ec0
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/astonishing-legends/id923527373?i=1000355594797

Myth Fits Podcast with Kari Byron and Tori Belleci from MythBusters:
https://www.youtube.com/@MythfitsPod
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mythfits/id1813405582
https://open.spotify.com/show/6SOvzD9Rc52Is6qHm0ivJt?si=f479aac0675644f8

David Weatherly's Work: 
https://eerielights.com/
https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B01N59JC6U/allbooks

David Weeatherly on Astonishing Legends (Spotify/Apple Podcasts Links)
https://open.spotify.com/episode/2RWx4nYQNZZ9b3qd04Dj8y?si=0353dbf9a2324ae1
https://open.spotify.com/episode/5p5GxpIqVX43RQwvtmTdwz?si=35384b2e23404b63
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/astonishing-legends/id923527373?i=1000495952492
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/astonishing-legends/id923527373?i=1000497668831

Documentary - The Nightmare: 
https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/the-nightmare

Missing 411: 
https://www.amazon.com/stores/David-Paulides/author/B002ALI9AA?
https://open.spotify.com/episode/3TRVhzSYDB6NKiU69L5c9A?si=e6fe2e83dfe84069
https://open.spotify.com/episode/5Q0pc5e8JlBoZzDrgY1Evp?si=b451bd4ae98841be
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/astonishing-legends/id923527373?i=1000579063545
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/astonishing-legends/id923527373?i=1000580601049

Article on Light Emission After Death: 
https://www.sciencealert.com/we-emit-a-visible-light-that-vanishes-when-we-die-says-surprising-new-study

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