Podcast Summary: Otherworld – "The Mystery of Seán Ruadh" [Patreon Preview]

Podcast: Otherworld
Host: Jack Wagner
Guest: Paulina Creek (host of "Caribbean Mystics")
Release Date: September 12, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode of Otherworld dives into a perplexing and unsolved paranormal encounter known as the story of Seán Ruadh. Host Jack Wagner provides background on why this episode feels incomplete, explaining his ongoing attempts to uncover more information about the story's origins and resolution. The tale, originally brought to Jack by fellow podcaster Paulina Creek, explores a strange, possibly folkloric encounter in rural Pennsylvania featuring a mysterious small man with unusual features.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Unfinished Nature of the Episode

• Jack Wagner admits upfront that this episode is "unfinished," highlighting the often unresolved nature of paranormal investigations.

  • "In many ways, this episode is sort of unfinished. I think it's as finished as it'll ever be... Maybe one day I'll end up finding some answers and finish it. Or maybe it will exist on here as it is." (00:08–01:00)

Story Origins

• The story was passed from Paulina Creek, who had received it as a listener submission for her own show but hadn't explored it further.

  • "She brought me this story saying that she had been working on it in the past, but didn't get to do anything with it and thought that maybe I would be able to figure it out." (01:20–01:34)

The Encounter: Detailed Recollection

• Paulina recounts a childhood memory of berry picking near her family’s cabin in rural Pennsylvania. She describes a strange sighting:
  • A small, rust-haired man pops out of the tall grass, "smaller than me" (as a child), dressed in handmade, mismatched, buckskin clothing with visible sewing, a vest, a sash, a belt, a silver knife to mid-thigh, and buckskin boots.

  • "Out popped a little man. He was smaller than me... He had rust color hair... buckskin clothing... You could see the seam work." (02:21–04:40)

The Creature’s Details

• Paulina further describes the being as appearing both youthful and old, notably with "sharply pointed baby teeth." She reads the account:

  • "It looked to be a small child, but something was off. It was actually a man, but about three to three and a half feet in height... He had rust colored hair with round, youthful features, but appeared older when he smiled. He had like sharply pointed baby teeth." (05:47–06:12)

• Jack is visibly surprised by this detail:

  • "Yeah, sharply pointed what?" (06:12)

  • "Baby teeth. Like small teeth, like a child's teeth, but they were sharp and pointed." (06:20–06:27)

Location & Folkloric Resonance

• The sighting took place in Pennsylvania. Paulina notes the witness later saw an image in an Irish folktale book that matched the being she had seen.

  • "It was a story that was submitted to us, but it takes place in Pennsylvania in the United States." (06:31–06:38)

Possible Explanations

• Jack wonders aloud about connections to Irish folklore, notably leprechauns, due to the being’s stature and attire.

  • "Right now... it almost sounded like, for a moment, like a leprechaun." (07:04–07:17)

• Both Jack and Paulina note there's little tradition of leprechauns carrying a blade, adding to the mystery.

  • "Are there stories of leprechauns carrying a blade? ...No." (07:17–07:25)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Jack Wagner on the story's mystery:

  • "But this is a show about mysterious things. And a lot of times those things remain a mystery." (01:56–02:01)

• Paulina Creek’s vivid description:

  • "He had a knife on his side and a belt. It was silver. It had a little bit of a hilt on it... I believe he had a sash on. He had a vest, a shirt, pants, and then buckskin boots and everything looked like it was homemade." (03:50–04:23)

• Paulina Creek on the teeth:

  • "Like small teeth, like a child's teeth, but they were sharp and pointed." (06:20–06:27)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:07 – Jack Wagner explains the episode’s unfinished status and backstory.
• 02:21 – Paulina Creek recalls the strange encounter as a child.
• 05:47–06:27 – Detailed physical description of the creature, highlighting the sharp, baby-like teeth.
• 06:38–07:25 – Discussion of possible explanations and folklore connections.

Overall Tone & Approach

Jack maintains an open-minded, journalistic curiosity throughout, willing to indulge speculation without drawing firm conclusions. The exchange with Paulina is conversational and exploratory, reflecting the unresolved nature of many Otherworld stories.

To hear the complete episode and further discussion, the full version is available for subscribers at patreon.com/otherworld.