Perplexity: A Mystery Podcast

What would you do if one night while lying in bed, you suddenly awoke, eyes shooting open, to find you couldn't move? And then, you saw a tall, dark shadowy figure standing in the corner of your room, with a wide brimmed hat, staring at you? Thousands of people have claimed to have seen the hat man, with stories gaining popularity online in the 2000s. But are they just stories? Or is this something paranormal? A medical phenomena? Today we will be exploring the concept of the infamous Hat Man.

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WAYS TO SUPPORT & CONNECT:

- Join the Patreon for perks, a show shout out, and ad free episodes starting at just $1/month: Patreon.com/perplexitymysterypodcast
- Hit that follow button, drop a 5 star review, and spread the word!
- Buy Kaydra a coffee and get a shoutout
- Get your mysterious merch & tag us on Instagram! 
- Subscribe to the YouTube channel!
- Check out Perplexity's Website
- Buy Kaydra an item on her Amazon Wishlist and get a shoutout! 
- Follow Perplexity on Instagram and TikTok

Send your stories and topic requests to  [email protected]

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SOURCES:
1) https://rdnewsnow.com/2023/03/22/who-is-the-hat-man-a-nightmare-shared-by-dreamers-around-the-world/
2) Wikipedia
3) Reddit
4) https://www.drugs.com/medical-answers/benadryl-hat-man-3573469/

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On the morning of Saturday, March 12, 2011, there would be a startling discovery. The Lululemon Athletica appeared to have been ransacked and in the back would be the brutally beaten body of 30 year old Lululemon employee Jayna Murray. There would also be a survivor, 28 year old Lululemon employee Brittany Norwood. Brittany would tell police after closing, 2 masked men came into the store and savagely beat, assaulted, and murdered Jayna. They also brutally assaulted Brittany, beat and bound her, and left her there to die.

A senseless attack in an affluent and safe neighborhood, and the 2 monsters were still on the loose. It would be a media circus. Brittany and Jayna's families would be left to deal with the trauma and grief. But as investigators looked into the details of the crime, they would make the startling conclusion everything was not as it seemed. This is the story of the Lululemon Murder. 

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WAYS TO SUPPORT & CONNECT:

- Join the Patreon for perks, a show shout out, and ad free episodes starting at just $1/month: Patreon.com/perplexitymysterypodcast
- Hit that follow button, drop a 5 star review, and spread the word!
- Buy Kaydra a coffee and get a shoutout
- Get your mysterious merch & tag us on Instagram! 
- Subscribe to the YouTube channel!
- Check out Perplexity's Website
- Buy Kaydra an item on her Amazon Wishlist and get a shoutout! 
- Follow Perplexity on Instagram and TikTok

Send your stories and topic requests to  [email protected]

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SOURCES:

1) "The Yoga Store Murder: The Shocking True Crime Account of the Lululemon Athletica Killing" by Dan Morse
2) Police interrogation and newscast audio from "ThatChapter" YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vu6qZocIf60

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In case you missed it, enjoy this edited version of Kaydra's most recent live show. This was on YouTube Live on Wednesday, October 30th, so the audio will be a bit rougher. Kaydra tells the story of the murder of Susan Mummey, and the Ringtown Valley Witch Murderer, Albert Yashinsky. You will also hear a paranormal listener story from Kim. 

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WAYS TO SUPPORT & CONNECT:

- Join the Patreon for perks, a show shout out, and ad free episodes starting at just $1/month: Patreon.com/perplexitymysterypodcast
- Hit that follow button, drop a 5 star review, and spread the word!
- Buy Kaydra a coffee and get a shoutout
- Get your mysterious merch & tag us on Instagram! 
- Subscribe to the YouTube channel!
- Check out Perplexity's Website
- Buy Kaydra an item on her Amazon Wishlist and get a shoutout! 
- Follow Perplexity on Instagram and TikTok

Send your stories and topic requests to  [email protected]

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SOURCES:
1) http://strangeco.blogspot.com/2015/09/the-witch-of-ringtown-medieval-20th.html?m=1
2) Wikipedia
3) https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/62218671/susan-mummey
4) https://www.republicanherald.com/lifestyles/in-the-day-of-trouble-details-grisly-end-to-the-witch-of-ringtown-valley/article_1182071b-fede-5ab9-a628-1776905ba2d4.html
5) https://order-of-the-jackalope.com/seven-years-in-hell/
6) https://husheduphistory.com/post/188644190933/hexed-the-witch-and-wrath-of-ringtown
7) http://paoddities.blogspot.com/2019/12/albert-shinsky-man-who-killed-witch-of.html
8) https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1980/03/04/the-farview-horror-report-from-a-state-mental-institution/0c758b3c-6eb5-4983-8d71-099f0b03e145/

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Imagine being lost 300 feet below the streets of Paris in total darkness, surrounded by over 6 million dead bodies. No, I'm not being dramatic. And no, I'm not kidding. This is a real place. The Paris Catacombs attract thousands of visitors each year, though only about 10% of the tunnels are open to the public. As for the other 90? They're illegal to explore... allegedly due to flooding, crime, and risk of getting lost.

But this, naturally, only adds to the mystery and lore of what could be hidden or living down here. Not to mention with the millions of dead being buried here, superstitious people have declared this place haunted and cursed.

There are also self proclaimed cataphiles: risk taking explorers whose goal is to conquer that 90% of the unexplored tunnels. But these tunnels make up hundreds of miles. It's basically an entire second city hidden underneath Paris. So what's the history behind these iconic macabre tunnels? And what could be dwelling here today? Are they haunted?

Today, we will be discussing the history and conspiracies of the Paris Catacombs. 

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WAYS TO SUPPORT & CONNECT:

- Join the Patreon for perks, a show shout out, and ad free episodes starting at just $1/month: Patreon.com/perplexitymysterypodcast
- Hit that follow button, drop a 5 star review, and spread the word!
- Buy Kaydra a coffee and get a shoutout
- Get your mysterious merch & tag us on Instagram! 
- Subscribe to the YouTube channel!
- Check out Perplexity's Website
- Buy Kaydra an item on her Amazon Wishlist and get a shoutout! 
- Follow Perplexity on Instagram and TikTok

Send your stories and topic requests to  [email protected]

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SOURCES:
1) https://www.history.com/news/paris-catacombs-origins
2) https://www.catacombes.paris.fr/en/history/architecture
3) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catacombs_of_Paris
4) https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/strange-maps-paris-catacombs
5) https://www.teenvogue.com/story/teens-got-lost-in-paris-catacombs-for-3-days
6) https://www.reddit.com/r/ParisCatacombs/comments/f1biyv/stop_asking_me_to_guide_you_in_the_catacombs_and/
7) https://www.quora.com/How-large-are-the-catacombs-of-Paris
8) https://www.walksofitaly.com/blog/art-culture/paris-catacombs
9) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p89pxOM4r0M

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/perplexity-a-mystery-podcast--6240687/support.

This month, I had the honor of collaborating with the incredible Live, Laugh, Larceny and several other MAJOR content creators to create this Halloween special for you all! Please enjoy this bonus episode courtesy of Trevin at Live, Laugh, Larceny Podcast. 

SHOW NOTES: 

Six Strangers. One Cursed Playlist. Ultimate Power—or Certain Death.

Drawn by a mysterious letter promising the power to control an army of the dead, six strangers arrive at a hidden location with a single task: survive a binge-listening session unlike any other. Their key to unlocking this dark magic? The Necronomicon iPod, a macabre piece of technology loaded with a supernatural podcast playlist.

Meet the crew: a die-hard podcast fan, a cat dad with a quirky side, a skeptical ghost hunter, a spiritual healer, an unreliable flake, and a professional entertainer with a flair for the dramatic. Together, they must endure each eerie episode—but as secrets are revealed and tensions rise, not everyone is guaranteed to make it out alive.

This one-of-a-kind horror-comedy event features exclusive segments from fan-favorite podcasts: And That's Why We Drink, Two Girls One Ghost, Creeps and Crimes, Ladies & Tangents, and Live, Laugh, Larceny.

Will they unlock the power of the undead—or will the cursed playlist claim their souls first? Tune in to this all-star podcast holiday event for a supernatural audio adventure like no other!

Written and Produced by Trevin Bartee of Live, Laugh, Larceny 
Original art by Sadie Kern of PopGunFlo https://www.popgunflo.com 

Voice cast:
Alecia Watson of Twisted and Uncorked https://www.twistedanduncorked.com/
Cassie Hahn of PNW Haunts and Homicides https://www.pnwhauntsandhomicides.com/
Kaydra Brannan of Perplexity: A Mystery Podcast https://perplexitymysteryp.wixsite.com/perplexity
Trevin Bartee of Live, Laugh, Larceny
Amanda Rose of Live, Laugh, Larceny
Christine Schiefer of And That's Why We Drink and Beach Too Sandy, Water Too Wet

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Venice, Italy is a beautiful city known throughout the world. It is highly popular for tourists. But like all other places discussed on this podcast, Venice has a dark history and hidden away secrets. Venice is filled with Campo De Mortes - literally translating to plazas of death. These are elevated public squares that can also serve as cemeteries. But arguably the most famous part of Venice's dark history is a place that is intentionally more secluded, a far away cemetery. If you take a boat through the waters to Northern italy, you will find an abandoned island in the Venetian lagoon. Locals and tourists are banned from visiting and fishermen avoid the area at all costs, in fear of their catches being cursed. This island was formed from the ashes of hundreds of thousands of criminals, mental patients, and victims of the bubonic plague. It is one of the darkest places on earth and one of the most haunted places in Europe. It has been labeled the island of no return, the island of ghosts, or plague island. To step onto this island means to have one foot in the real word, and the other foot in the next. As the locals say, when an evil man dies, he wakes up in ... Poveglia. This is the story of Poveglia Island.

this episode features Tyler and Charlie with Believing the Bizarre: https://believingthebizarre.com

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WAYS TO SUPPORT & CONNECT:

- Join the Patreon for perks, a show shout out, and ad free episodes starting at just $1/month: Patreon.com/perplexitymysterypodcast
- Hit that follow button, drop a 5 star review, and spread the word!
- Buy Kaydra a coffee and get a shoutout
- Get your mysterious merch & tag us on Instagram! 
- Subscribe to the YouTube channel!
- Check out Perplexity's Website
- Buy Kaydra an item on her Amazon Wishlist and get a shoutout! 
- Follow Perplexity on Instagram and TikTok

Send your stories and topic requests to  [email protected]

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SOURCES:
1) "Ghost Adventures" Season 3 Episode 2
2) https://www.walksofitaly.com/blog/art-culture/poveglia-island#:~:text=History%20of%20Poveglia%20Island&text=In%20the%2014th%20century%2C%20the,the%20abandonment%20of%20the%20island.
3) Wikipedia
4) https://thelittlehouseofhorrors.com/poveglia-island/
5) https://www.ranker.com/list/creepy-facts-about-poveglia-the-italian-black-plague-island/cheryl-adams-richkoff
6) "Dark World" by Zak Bagans

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/perplexity-a-mystery-podcast--6240687/support.

She will take your life and all you are, and all you care'st for, and she will leave you with nothing but mist and fog. She will take your joy, and one day you'll awake and your heart and your soul will have gone. A husk you'll be, a wisp you'll be, and a thing no more than a dream on waking, or a memory of something forgotten. In her truest form, she is a thief of souls, an evil, hideous old crone with demonic features. But she is also a shapeshifter, resulting in often presenting herself as a beautiful attractive woman. She originates from the forests of Romanian folklore. Alternative names for her are Muma Padurii, Witch of the Woods, Spider Queen, and Other Mother. This is the story of the Beldam.You will also hear a listener story from Kim at the end of today's episode. Shout out to Karlisa for joining us again!

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WAYS TO SUPPORT & CONNECT:

- Join the Patreon for perks, a show shout out, and ad free episodes starting at just $1/month: Patreon.com/perplexitymysterypodcast
- Hit that follow button, drop a 5 star review, and spread the word!
- Buy Kaydra a coffee and get a shoutout
- Get your mysterious merch & tag us on Instagram! 
- Subscribe to the YouTube channel!
- Check out Perplexity's Website
- Buy Kaydra an item on her Amazon Wishlist and get a shoutout! 
- Follow Perplexity on Instagram and TikTok

Send your stories and topic requests to  [email protected]

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SOURCES:
https://novusbestiary.com/beldam
https://youtu.be/eAUrqYckcP4?si=WIaOnrtlzLAfsVar
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muma_Pădurii https://www.ranker.com/list/coraline-beldam/erin-cody
The book "Coraline" by Neil Gaiman
https://variety.com/2024/film/global/henry-selick-neil-gaiman-pixar-coraline-annecy-1236033866/

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/perplexity-a-mystery-podcast--6240687/support.

In the old world, there were many stories of a mysterious ancient Goddess. She has been commonly labeled a Goddess of Ancient Greece, but she did not originate there. That is part of her mystery. She may have originated in the Minoan civilization, and evidence of her has been found in Sicily, Libya, Turkey, Bulgaria, and Syria. It is believed the Turkish town of Lagina was the home of her most important cult center. She is a multi-faceted goddess, neither good nor evil. She is often depicted with three faces, sometimes with the heads of animals, a moon goddess with a threefold identity as a young maiden, a middle aged mother, and an elderly crone. She is a modern Goddess with ancient roots. She is known as the goddess of death, who guards souls in the underworld. She is also known as the keeper of the crossroads, goddess of the moon, of ghosts and nightmares, and of crops. Perhaps most significant of all, Hekate draws devotion from those who practice magic, especially those who self-identify as Witches, resulting in the common name: Goddess of Witches. This is the story of Hekate.

This episode proudly features Shelby Novak with Scare You to Sleep Podcast.
Shelby's links: https://linktr.ee/ScareYouToSleep
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WAYS TO SUPPORT & CONNECT:

- Join the Patreon for perks, a show shout out, and ad free episodes starting at just $1/month: Patreon.com/perplexitymysterypodcast
- Hit that follow button, drop a 5 star review, and spread the word!
- Buy Kaydra a coffee and get a shoutout
- Get your mysterious merch & tag us on Instagram! 
- Subscribe to the YouTube channel!
- Check out Perplexity's Website
- Buy Kaydra an item on her Amazon Wishlist and get a shoutout! 
- Follow Perplexity on Instagram and TikTok

Send your stories and topic requests to  [email protected]

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SOURCES:
1) The book "Hekate: Goddess of Witches" by Courtney Weber
2) Encounter stories are from Reddit

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/perplexity-a-mystery-podcast--6240687/support.

Life is filled with risks and unknowns. This is no different when using an ouija board. You could contact a loved one and have a pleasant experience, you could have nothing at all happen, and according to some if you're not careful, you could open a spiritual realm, inviting malevolent entities you never intended to contact. You can get attachments, you can be oppressed. You could also be manipulated, as you have no way to actually know if who you're talking to is who they say they are. Nevertheless, the ouija board continues to be one of the most iconic items in a variety of spiritual practices and paranormal investigations. Countless stories persist of strange and unexplained phenomena when using one. So today, we will be exploring the history of ouija boards, and the infamous urban legend of Zozo the demon. You will also hear several paranormal encounter stories from today's special guest.

Today's episode features Adam from the Weekly Creep Podcast, and the new show Houston Strange! Check out Adam's podcasts on YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts.
Weekly Creep Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/weeklycreep/
Weekly Creep YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGqpUgE5QlWpWQwMp6LzGaw
Houston Strange Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/houston_strange/

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WAYS TO SUPPORT & CONNECT:

- Join the Patreon for perks, a show shout out, and ad free episodes starting at just $1/month: Patreon.com/perplexitymysterypodcast
- Hit that follow button, drop a 5 star review, and spread the word!
- Buy Kaydra a coffee and get a shoutout
- Get your mysterious merch & tag us on Instagram! 
- Subscribe to the YouTube channel!
- Check out Perplexity's Website
- Buy Kaydra an item on her Amazon Wishlist and get a shoutout! 
- Follow Perplexity on Instagram and TikTok

Send your stories and topic requests to  [email protected]

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SOURCES:
1) https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-strange-and-mysterious-history-of-the-ouija-board-5860627/
2) https://www.nj.com/entertainment/2016/05/zozo_phenomenon_documented_in_new_book_paranormal_corner.html
3) https://allthatsinteresting.com/zozo-demon
4) https://www.ranker.com/list/zozo-facts/maggie-clendenin
5) The book "The Zozo Phenomenon" by Darren Evans and Roseman Ellen Guiley
6) https://www.museumofplay.org

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/perplexity-a-mystery-podcast--6240687/support.

Video games are one of the most popular sources of entertainment and escapism worldwide. But like most things, there is a dark side to video games. Today, Kaydra discusses the legends of 5 cursed video games: Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, Sad Satan, Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem, Call of Cthulhu: Dark Corners of the Earth, and Polybius.

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WAYS TO SUPPORT & CONNECT:

- Join the Patreon for perks, a show shout out, and ad free episodes starting at just $1/month: Patreon.com/perplexitymysterypodcast
- Hit that follow button, drop a 5 star review, and spread the word!
- Buy Kaydra a coffee and get a shoutout
- Get your mysterious merch & tag us on Instagram! 
- Subscribe to the YouTube channel!
- Check out Perplexity's Website
- Buy Kaydra an item on her Amazon Wishlist and get a shoutout! 
- Follow Perplexity on Instagram and TikTok

Send your stories and topic requests to  [email protected]

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SOURCES:

• https://creepybonfire.com/horrortainment/the-top-5-cursed-video-games-in-history/
• https://www.pdxmonthly.com/arts-and-culture/2017/11/polybius-the-most-dangerous-arcade-game-in-the-world
• "The Polybius Conspiracy" podcast
• Wikipedia
• https://zelda.fandom.com/wiki/Community:Haunted_Majora%27s_Mask_Cartridge_Story
• https://www.creepypasta.com/ben-drowned/
• Reddit
• https://kotaku.com/a-horror-game-hidden-in-the-darkest-corners-of-the-inte-1714980337
• https://www.mic.com/articles/121711/who-made-sad-satan-deep-web-horror-game
• https://www.everythingisscary.com/play/2015/6/4/is-this-real-the-4th-wall-and-eternal-darkness-sanitys-requiem
• https://study.com/academy/lesson/the-call-of-cthulhu-book-summary-quotes.html#:~:text=The%20Call%20of%20Cthulhu%20chronicles,lyeh%2C%20who's%20dreams%20influence%20reality.
• https://www.commonsensemedia.org/game-reviews/call-of-cthulhu#:~:text=While%20this%20game%20is%20as,frame%20of%20mind%20for%20it.
• https://steamcommunity.com/app/22340/discussions/0/1473095331493911609/

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/perplexity-a-mystery-podcast--6240687/support.