Tales of grand heists and elaborate scams have long captivated our imaginations and among these daring exploits, one story stands out as particularly audacious - the tale of a self-proclaimed countess who dared to deceive none other than the Queen of France herself.  Jeanne de la Motte, a noblewoman fallen on hard times (or so she would say), orchestrated a very daring scheme to steal a lavish, and extremely expensive diamond necklace. 

Today, I'm telling you the story of the Countess Who Duped the Queen, a scandalous scam that forever altered the course of French history.

Macabrium is produced by Macabrium Creative and hosted by Megan Alda and Derek Stephen Brown, with writing and research by Chloë Kibbe, Megan Alda and Derek Stephen Brown. 

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Our stories here at Haunted History often revolve around the misdeeds of cruel people, societal ills, and unexplained phenomena. But what about the natural world? Nature, in all its splendor and power, knows not right from wrong. Today, I am telling you the story of the Schoolhouse Blizzard, one of the worst winter storms in history. It was the day the blizzard was King.

Macabrium is produced by Macabrium Creative and hosted by Megan Alda and Derek Stephen Brown, with writing and research by Chloë Kibbe, Megan Alda and Derek Stephen Brown. 

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It's May 5th, 1893, and you are setting foot in Chicago’s Jackson Park to see for yourself what this whole “Chicago World’s Fair” thing is all about. At the time, you don’t know it, but this event will be called “the fair that changed America”. This is because, underneath the veneer of celebration, imagination, and bustle, a dark underbelly writhed, claiming the lives of the unsuspecting. Hidden in plain sight, a monster laid in wait, the likes of which America had never seen… 

Macabrium is produced by Macabrium Creative and hosted by Megan Alda and Derek Stephen Brown, with writing and research by Chloë Kibbe, Megan Alda and Derek Stephen Brown. 

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Picture this. It’s a Saturday night in 1984, you are dressed head to toe in denim and you and a group of friends are headed out to the movies to catch the newest supernatural slasher film, A Nightmare on Elm Street.  The movie was a hit. It struck all the right nerves and left a lasting impression among horror aficionados and all moviegoers alike. Now, what if I told you that the Wes Craven slasher was actually inspired by a true series of events that unfolded in 1981, just a few years before the release of the film? It might be hard to believe, but it’s true. Today I’m telling you the tale of Nightmare Death: The True Story That Inspired ‘A Nightmare on Elm Street’.

Macabrium is produced by Macabrium Creative and hosted by Megan Alda and Derek Stephen Brown, with writing and research by Chloë Kibbe, Megan Alda and Derek Stephen Brown. 

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Blackbeard has inspired generations of storytelling in his own right. From the 1718 novel On Stranger Tides to the 2015 Hollywood movie Pan - a stylized prequel to a better-known novel, J.M. Barrie's Peter Pan. In the movie, the character of Blackbeard takes center stage, serving as the main antagonist. 

One story, however, that seems to linger above all others in regards to Blackbeard's legendary life, is the existence of his so-called 'lost treasure'. But is there any truth to this claim, or is it simply tall tales? Today's story is on the life, death and legacy of Blackbeard.  

Macabrium is produced by Macabrium Creative and hosted by Megan Alda and Derek Stephen Brown, with writing and research by Chloë Kibbe, Megan Alda and Derek Stephen Brown. 

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For the people of Fukushima Prefecture, in Japan, time stopped at 2:46pm on March 11th , 2011. This is the moment that the coastal region was rocked by the Tōhoku earthquake, the largest in Japan’s history. The quake lasted all of 6 minutes, and caused extensive damage to infrastructure, raising buildings and roads in the blink of an eye. Many human lives were lost in those few minutes. But the horror had only just begun. The quake created a tsunami, pummeling the Fukushima nuclear power plant. But the triple threat – earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear disaster – engendered a fourth, and maybe less explored calamity. Shortly after the Fukushima disaster, reports started surfacing from the surviving family members of those who lost their lives…reports of apparitions. 

Today, I will tell you the story of the ghosts of Fukushima.

Macabrium is produced by Macabrium Creative and hosted by Megan Alda and Derek Stephen Brown, with writing and research by Chloë Kibbe, Megan Alda and Derek Stephen Brown. 

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Demon summoner. Sadist. Child murderer. 

History is peppered with dark and disturbed characters. People who left unchecked, exercised untold horrors onto the unsuspecting, the marginalized, and the vulnerable. Often, these folks operated from positions of privilege and power, as we saw last week with our tale about the Blood Countess, Elizabeth Bathory. One man in particular – a precursor to Elizabeth, if you will – takes the cake in terms of bloodshed, madness, and overall mayhem. This man, a perhaps lesser-known counterpart to history’s true crime “heavy hitters”, is alleged to be the fabled inspiration for the fairy-tale character of ‘Bluebeard’.

A man reportedly so vile, so inhumane, that he makes the tales enshrouding Elizabeth Bathory seem like a walk in the park. Today, I will tell you the story of the child murderer, heretic, and serial killer, Gilles de Rais.

Macabrium is produced by Macabrium Creative and hosted by Megan Alda and Derek Stephen Brown, with writing and research by Chloë Kibbe, Megan Alda and Derek Stephen Brown. 

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Imagine, a countess living alone in a dark castle, bathing herself in the blood of young virgins in order to retain a youthful glow. This is the aura that enveloped Elizabeth Bathory of Hungary, a woman who has been labeled as one of history’s most prolific serial killers – with vampiric tendencies on top of it all! But, when it comes to the so-called “Blood Countess”, what is fact and what is fiction?

Today, we dive into the world of one of history’s most enigmatic women. In doing so, we’ll hear about royal rivalries that would give Game of Thrones a run for its money and accounts of gore that tie into the likes of Vlad the Impaler.

Macabrium is produced by Macabrium Creative and hosted by Megan Alda and Derek Stephen Brown, with writing and research by Chloë Kibbe, Megan Alda and Derek Stephen Brown. 

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