The Whaley House in San Diego is one of the most haunted houses in California. Long before the Whaley family lived and died in the home, the spot was an infamous hanging ground where murders and criminals met their end. Was the ground cursed before the Whaley's even got there? And could it have contributed to the tragic events that befell the Whaley family?

DISCLAIMER: This episode mentions suicide and self-harm.

In 1817 the Bell family fell victim to a violent spirits wrath after their daughter, Betsy Bell, became engaged to the love of her life. For years Betsy, and her father John Bell Sr., were physically and verbally abused by the spirit, who seemed to relish in their suffering. And even now, more than 200 years later, historians and paranormal researches are still trying to determine why it happened in the first place.

In 1676, Sister Maria Crocifissa wrote a letter that was never supposed to be read. It didn’t contain embarrassing confessions of love, or unfiltered views on an enemies appearance. No, Sister Maria Crocifissa’s letter contained a message delivered to her while in a state of possession - a message delivered by the Devil himself.

Nestled in a green, forested area of the Ozarks is The 1886 Crescent Hotel - a beautiful, castle-like resort surrounded by a tranquil forests where visitors can enjoy a star-filled view of the night sky. But The 1886 Crescent Hotel has a past so dark that it has been deemed America’s most haunted hotel.

Scary Stories for the Soul presents, “Torment at Cachtice," an original horror story about Katarina Papp, girl who was led to Elizabeth Bathory’s castle under false pretenses and endured indescribable pain.

Between 1590 and 1610, a small village nestled in the heart of Little Carpathia became the hunting ground for one of history’s most prolific serial killers. For the better part of 20 years Elizabeth Bathory, along with a crew of loyal followers, ruthlessly kidnapped, tortured, and murdered young women and girls, earning her the macabre moniker of “The Blood Countess.”

Let’s celebrate 100 episodes with an Espooky collaboration! Cristina, one of the hosts of Espooky Tales, joins us for a discussion about folklore, bonding over horror stories, and everything in between!

In preparation for 100 episodes, enjoy this special re-release of Episode 1 where we discuss the origin story of the Ouija board. The episode also features an original horror story about three girls who messed with a Ouija board, and lived to regret it.

Sometimes horrible things happen in the most mundane of places. The Cecil Hotel is an example of just this. By all intents and purposes, the Cecil should have been a run-of-the-mill hotel with swanky interior and even swankier guests. But a series of unfortunate events would turn this proposed haven for Los Angeles’s elite, into one of the most haunted hotels in the world.

WARNING: This episode mentions instances sexual assault and self-harm. Listener discretion of advised.

Would you give anything to reach your goals? Achieve your musical dreams? Have your desires of fame and talent granted?

Would you give up your soul, for the music?

Some say that Robert Johnson, famed Blues musician, did just - trading his soul to the Devil to become the greatest Blues musician in history.