Straight-Up Enigmas

As part of our 13 Nights of Halloween series, we've teamed up with the amazing Geek Freaks Podcast for today's special episode! Listen in as we discuss a few haunted and cursed video/arcade games.

Articles/Research:

https://www.gamesradar.com/terrifying-video-game-creepypastas-to-make-you-never-play-alone-again-from-demonic-sonics-to-haunted-minecrafts/

https://creepypasta.fandom.com/wiki/Polybius

http://www.the13thfloor.tv/2016/03/25/from-polybius-to-sad-satan-the-five-most-haunted-video-games/

https://videogamehistory.fandom.com/wiki/Berzerk 

https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1310&dat=19811129&id=arRQAAAAIBAJ&sjid=V-IDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6688,7639998&hl=en 

https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/the-urban-legend-of-the-governments-mindcontrolling-arcade-game 

https://retrovolve.com/how-many-people-has-the-berzerk-arcade-game-killed/#:~:text=Now%2C%20urban%20legends%20are%20bound,of%20these%20deaths%20actually%20happened

Music:

Black cats have long been associated with misfortune, fear, and death in folklore. But how exactly did these animals become such prevalent Halloween symbols? In celebration of National Black Cat Day, join us as we take a look at the centuries-old superstitions behind these handsome felines.

Articles:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/animalia/wp/2016/10/31/the-spooky-history-of-how-cats-bewitched-us/

https://solidgoldpet.com/heres-actual-reason-witches-black-cats/

https://www.hartz.com/how-black-cats-came-to-halloween/

https://www.sparknotes.com/lit/poestories/section8/

https://www.thesprucepets.com/black-cat-folklore-554444 

https://petcentral.chewy.com/black-cat-breeds-and-history/ 

https://www.litter-robot.com/blog/2018/10/29/how-did-black-cats-become-halloween-symbols/

Music:

This House by Kevin MacLeod

Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4525-this-house

License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Supernatural by Kevin MacLeod

Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4446-supernatural

License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Straight Up Strange Network: www.straightupstrange.com

In honor of National Pumpkin Day, we're discussing the spooky history of Stingy Jack and the origin of the jack-o'-lantern. If you like today's mini-episode, don't forget to subscribe and leave a five-star review wherever you're listening!

Research Articles:

https://www.history.com/news/history-of-the-jack-o-lantern-irish-origins

https://www.celticthunder.com/blog/2016/10/02/history-jack-o-lantern/#:~:text=In%20Ireland%20children%20carved%20out,to%20pay%20for%20his%20drink.

https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/12865/whats-origin-jack-o-lanterns

https://historydaily.org/will-o-the-wisp-deadly-fairy-lights 

Music:

Dopplerette by Kevin MacLeod

Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3668-dopplerette

License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

In honor of National Chucky the Killer Doll Day, we discuss six freaky facts you might not know about the frightening Child's Play franchise. 

I leaned heavily on these two amazing articles:

https://screenrant.com/childs-play-facts-trivia/

https://www.amc.com/talk/2014/10/six-things-you-didnt-know-about-the-childs-play-franchise

Music:

The Children's Room by Audionautix is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/...) Artist: http://audionautix.com/ /

"Nebula" by Myuu: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXC5pgOKcRw.

"Haunted by Screams" by Myuu: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSxM2IIABRg.

Straight Up Strange Network: www.straightupstrange.com

In this episode of our 13 Nights of Halloween mini-series, we bring you several short and shocking Creepypastas. Thank you for joining us this spooky season!

Source: https://the-line-up.com/10-short-creepypastas

Music:

Measured Paces by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100164

Artist: http://incompetech.com/

Today’s mini-episode is a reading of Guy de Maupassant's short story, "The Hand," by Kris from Obscure Anomalies, an amazing podcast that’s part of our Straight Up Strange Network Family. A big thank you to Kris for contributing to our 13 Nights of Halloween series! If you like our show, you’ll really enjoy the creepy, spooky topics covered on Obscure Anomalies, so be sure to give them a listen too.

"The Hand" by Guy de Maupassant: https://americanliterature.com/author/guy-de-maupassant/short-story/the-hand

Obscure Anomalies Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/obscure-anomalies/id1463007002

Straight Up Strange Network: www.straightupstrange.com 

Have you heard of the Midnight Game? PLEASE do not play the game this spooky season (or ever). Nothing good can come from it! You... have been warned!

Articles:

https://creepypasta.fandom.com/wiki/Midnight_Game

https://theghostinmymachine.com/2014/03/31/the-most-dangerous-games-the-midnight-game/

https://www.ihorror.com/paranormal-games-the-midnight-man/ 

https://www.reddit.com/r/nosleep/comments/1e73fy/the_midnight_game_i_played_it_and_i_was_a/

Music:

All songs are from Myuu’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/myuuji. 

Today’s mini-episode is a reading of E. Nesbit’s “Uncle Abraham’s Romance” by Jennifer from Haunted Happenstance, an incredible podcast that’s part of our Straight Up Strange Network Family. A big thank you to Jennifer for contributing to our 13 Nights of Halloween series. If you like our show, you’ll really enjoy the spooky tales on the Haunted Happenstance audio drama, so be sure to give them a listen too.

"Uncle Abraham's Romance:" https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Grim_Tales/Uncle_Abraham%27s_Romance

Haunted Happenstance Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/haunted-happenstance/id1435963965

Straight Up Strange Network: www.straightupstrange.com

The small town of Kisilova, Serbia, was struck by a devastating case of vampire hysteria in 1725 when a peasant farmer rose from the dead and began murdering the villagers. In this mini-episode of our 13 Nights of Halloween series, we discuss the world's first recorded vampire. 

Articles used in research:

https://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/Blagojević%2C+Peter

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sAinc3svOT0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kB6iEKFJ1jU

https://www.dictionary.com/browse/vampire

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petar_Blagojevi%C4%87

https://www.history.com/topics/folklore/vampire-history

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3888192/Days-vampires-real-nightmare-17th-18th-century-research-says-creatures-infesting-villages-Eastern-Europe.html

https://vampireunderworld.com/vampirism/hawthorn/

Ankou, a frightening figure in Breton folklore, is known as the Harvester of Souls. Join us for the second mini-episode in our 13 Nights of Halloween exclusive series! This episode was written and produced by Jaden McKell.

Research/Articles:

https://occult-world.com/ankou/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-G02hYLFo-o

https://www.transceltic.com/breton/ankou

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ankou 

https://www.transceltic.com/breton/ankou-breton-halloween-story

Music:

Sounds effects from zapsplat.com.

Long note One by Kevin MacLeod

Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3992-long-note-one

License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/