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This episode is brought to you by State Farm. Checking off the boxes on your to do list is a great feeling. And when it comes to checking off coverage, a State Farm agent can help you choose an option that's right for you. Whether you prefer talking in person on the phone or using the award winning app, it's nice knowing you have help finding coverage that best fits your needs. Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there. This episode is brought to you by Netflix.
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Everyone is telling her she dreamt it. But in the woman in cabin 10.
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Lo Blacklock is determined to uncover the.
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Truth in the gripping new thriller coming to Netflix October 10th.
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Keira Knightley plays a journalist aboard a luxury yacht who witnesses a crime she can't unsee. Adapted from Ruth Ware's best selling novel, directed by Simon Stone. Watch the woman in Cabin 10 only on Netflix on October 10th. Very spooky.
B
Hello.
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Greetings. This is.
B
This is two girls, one ghost.
A
Two girls. What ghost?
B
Do you hear the earth rumbling around us?
A
The critters in the woods?
B
Hopefully we don't see any eyes that aren't our own. We're in the woods and we are.
A
And who are we?
B
We're two. I said we're £2 one ghost.
A
Oh, well, I didn't say where are your ghostesses? Did I?
B
No, you didn't.
A
Okay. Where are your ghostesses? That is Corinne. I'm Sabrina.
B
Hello.
A
And yeah, we're in the woods. We're deep, deep, deep in the woods. So close to civilization. But I will say setting up. I was very on edge because the woods are behind us. There were a lot of creeks, there were a lot of cracks. And we have been recording our new podcast, Crimes of Powered by Crime House at Pave. And we've been talking a lot about creepy things that happen in the woods, like petty murders, which is all about a horrible crime that happened in a cabin.
B
Yeah. Which was basically equivalent to the movie the Strangers. So we're a little on edge because we've been talking about murder and horrifying things all day and now we're like, oh, well, let's just cool down with some ghost stories. Right. What better place to set up than the woods outside? And it actually is kind of peaceful. It's the perfect temperature.
A
It's.
B
It's getting crisp. You can hear all the peepers.
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The peepers.
B
Peepers.
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But there might be people. I was so Brian was helping me set up and I was like, I'm so grateful you're not this person. Because I could see a world where another individual would know that we were doing this, put on a creepy mask and literally creep in the woods behind us and poke their head out and terrify the shit out of us.
B
Which, if my mom hadn't left today, I bet she would have been that.
A
Person would have horrified us. But so, real quick, before we get into our spooky stories for the evening, please do check out Crimes of wherever you get your podcasts. This season is all about crimes of Infamy. So we're talking about the real life horrific crimes that inspired some of the most iconic horror films like the kitty.
B
Murders and the movie with Strangers. There are so many more and some that I didn't even know inspired certain movies that have horrified me and stuck with me forever. Forever.
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And in case you're wondering, nothing's happening to two girls, one ghost. We're just spreading ourselves thin and doing more more with our time and creating more content.
B
It seemed fun and interesting.
A
So it was. And every season. So it's gonna be like sub seasons, but it's a weekly podcast and we're gonna mix it up. So season one is Crimes of Infamy. That's the first eight episodes. And then the second eight episodes are going to be Crimes of the pain Paranormal. Yes.
B
Yeah. They didn't have us long before we started to try to weasel in our way in. Yeah. We're like, okay, this was fun and this was great, but we have a lot of suggestions when it comes to the paranormal.
A
Yes. And so in honor of the paranormal, we're going to dive into some really creepy monster stories. O. How did you get that? That's scary. Horrible.
B
Let's hope that we don't get. What is it? West Nile virus? Malaria? What's going on around here?
A
I thought you meant like a seizure because of the flashing lights or give other people a seizure.
B
No, the mosquitoes in Massachusetts have become quite dangerous. And so we have our citronella candles to light light our path through these spooky stories.
A
Also, one quick little tidbit if you want to check us out live. We're doing one night only live show in South Somerville, Massachusetts on October 8th. It's a Wednesday and we're going to be diving into a really, really scary investigation that we did a couple years ago now that we have never shared with anyone. So if you want to see what the heck we got ourselves into, come see us live October 8th. But tonight, I wrote a spooky story to start us off.
B
Great. I love when you do this. You're like, I got creative and I was like, I'm so ready for this.
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I. I really am. We're all afraid. Afraid of something. Spiders crawling into your ears as you sleep, falling from great heights. Death knocking at your door, thirsting for your soul. Monsters under your bed. Waiting for that moment you slip into the unconscious. And tonight, as the darkness envelops us and mosquitoes try to suck our blood, Corinne and I are going to entrance you with a monster mash. And not the delightful Halloween song that gets you going. But no. Horrifying tales of monsters that lurk on our earth, haunt our land and our sea, and have, fortunately or unfortunately for you booked an appointment with you this evening. So settle in, our little children. Let Mama Corinne and Sabrina share some terrible mummies. Hello. You don't even watch Love island, but you are on TikTok, so you know what that is.
B
I actually am about to get off of TikTok and all social media because I accidentally saw three murders before they got sent. Yeah, and I'm, like, kind of fucked up from it.
A
Yeah.
B
So, okay, that was the last reference you'll hear me make for a while.
A
Well, we are going to focus on spooky stories about monsters, and I wrote a little bit of a monster meditation. So close your eyes. Embrace the night.
B
I don't want to close my eyes.
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You can't. No.
B
We're in the woods.
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Notice how all of the light disappears. How a heavy darkness begins to inch its way from your head to your toes, wrapping you in its void as all outside distractions fade away. Feel how the air presses down on your chest. Feel the night. Greet the night. Listen to the whispers. Pay close attention to the creeks, the. The clicks and the clacks in the world around you. But be wary the shadows, the way they stretch and bend and flicker behind your closed eyes.
B
Greek.
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What was that? You open your eyes quick. Your heart races. You're used to meditations that lull you to sleep, slow your heart rate, lower your blood pressure. But this is not one of those meditations. This is a two girls, one ghost monster meditation. And now that we have you looking over your shoulder, let us warn you what waits for you in this episode. A monster. Maybe it has crusty claws that scratch the wood of your floorboards. Maybe it has a devilish grin that stretches all too wide with way too many crooked, yellow teeth. Or maybe it has no teeth at all, just a vortex of black that wishes to swallow your soul. It waits at the end of your bed, outside of your tent, maybe in the backseat of your car or at the bottom Of a lake reaching for your ankles. Wherever it lurks, you know what it wants. You. Your joy. Your soul. Your life. You tell yourself, no, this isn't real. Monsters aren't real. But deep down, you know we all know that. Creak down the hallway. It wasn't just the house settling that breath on the back of your neck. It wasn't just a draft. The shadow standing in your corner is not just a pile of unfolded laundry. No, it's a monster. Every culture has them. They don't all look the same, but they feel the same wrong, hungry, evil. So whatever you do tonight, do not trust the silence. This monster is closing in closer than it's ever been. And it is waiting for you.
B
I have three things to say after that. One, when you started talking about.
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Sorry, cue the fog. We do our own effects here.
B
Like, don't even have a remote. Just like bent over, pressing the button.
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I'm the real monster here.
B
When you were talking about the spiders and just like all the different fears, I literally like felt things crawling on me. It's like the psychological effects of thinking about your fears. So that was really great. I also think you'd be amazing at writing ya horror stories. And this makes me want to shows like Goosebumps and stuff to come back. And I want you to create that.
A
Goosebumps did come back. Justin Long was in it.
B
Oh, yeah, I watched it.
A
Someone hire me.
B
Someone hire Sabrina.
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Because we have so much time.
B
Third, if the world goes quiet around us, like in your creative narrative, we're bolting inside. Hell yeah. Because it is so freaking noisy out here. I don't know if people can hear it, but like, there is a swamp behind us. Crickets, Bigfoot may lurk frogs, but you can hear the frogs. Like they are so, so loud.
A
It is very peaceful. I agree. And I feel like this episode, if we do hear nothing, if it goes silent, this will turn into an episode of Blair Witch where all of the cameras get knocked down and you see some monster lurking. And I just started getting footage.
B
Okay. I can't lean back in my chair because what if a spider comes and crawls up?
A
Lean back, lean back. Well, let's pivot from spiders and just talk about monsters.
B
Okay. We've each prepared a monster for you tonight.
A
We have.
B
Will you make it through the episode?
A
I don't know. I've been dizzy since 4pm and driving here, I was like, is this a sign I shouldn't be like, I'm so.
B
Lack of water.
A
I think it's definitely lack of water. But I'm so pretty. I'm so out of touch with my physical mental well being right now that I'm like, if this was a paranormal warning that I should not, you know, like an instinct, gut feeling of don't get in the car, I would ignore it. I did. I just, I got in the car, I made it here. But I figured if I feel worse after this, I'm sleeping in your bed with you and Brian.
B
We have a king. So there's, there's room under the bed, I think. Well, because.
A
Oh, spooky.
B
Scary. Is yours really scary?
A
It's scary in the sense that I wrote it scary. But the reality of running into this monster is pretty slim. Wait, look. I'm so nifty, I'm using my toe.
B
Brilliant. I'm sitting in like the most uncomfortable position because I'm trying not to touch any sides of the chair due to spiders.
A
Oh, there are for sure. I did clear off some spider webs for you. You're welcome.
B
Thank you. Sometimes, actually there's a really cute little tree frog who lives around here. And sometimes. What's his name? I don't know. But he nearly perished at the hands of Noah when Noah was trying to with his chubby little fingers to hold him. He injured his leg, but we've seen him since. He's okay.
A
He's been hopping.
B
I heard him earlier. I think he's a couple trees down.
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Bob. Coming over. Bob. Okay, I will start. My monster lurks on land and sea. It appears to embody the shape of a horse with a human like torso fused to its back. A body absent of skin.
B
Oh.
A
Huge veins and muscle fiber exposed and raw, throbbing and pulsing.
B
Ew. How dare you use the word throb in this scenario.
A
Oh, so very wrong. And in my sicko brain, there's a feature on a male specimen that it makes me think of. That's all I will say for the children. This creature's arms.
B
Are you scared yet?
A
This creature's arms are grotesquely long, dragging almost to the ground. So it's like a torso on top of a horse with arms that like drag on the floor.
B
Yuck.
A
And what?
B
What was that?
A
What? Oh my God.
B
Did I just see a shooting star?
A
Okay, you. I think I saw a shooting star. We have to make a rule.
B
Sorry.
A
There's no audibly gasping in the woods.
B
This is my biggest fight with my dad driving in a car. I'm like, what? And he was like, oh, I. I don't know what the fuck was that? I literally just saw A shooting star. That was so cool.
A
I wish I could.
B
I need to come outside more.
A
Touch grass.
B
Yeah.
A
But yes. Worst of all is its breath. It is so foul, so toxic. It wreaks havoc and spreads like the plague. This is the Nakla V, a purely malicious and spiteful monster of the Scottish moors. Ooh.
B
He's a Scot with long, gangly arms and a throbbing, muscular, skinless body.
A
And I just read the book. We live here now. Highly recommend. It's so good. It is a haunted house story and it's all about, like, the moors. And it takes place, like the setting is the moors, and there's just, like a creepy ambiance to it. These flashlights do come in handy. We can see things.
B
I'm gonna guess it was a square just a few moments ago.
A
So the stories of the Naklavi are always the same. Wind howls across the moors, rattling the windows of your home. And despite the heat within, a cold whips itself through your bones. You lie awake with the feeling of being watched. Your ears strain, listening with caution. And that's when you hear it. Slow, deliberate sound of hooves. Each thud echoes and Shakespeare. Slowly, you emerge from underneath the sheets to peer outside. And there's nothing but darkness. Thick, oppressive and endless. And that is when you smell it. The air grows sour, rank, its decay. The smell of rotting seaweed and death, bloody, coppery and foul. Yuck.
B
I'm kinda into the seaweed stink. That part's interesting.
A
This one you're not. And that sound of the heavy hooves gets louder with it joins labored breathing, wet, ragged, like lungs filled with disease. All of your instincts tell you to run, but the old stories have taught you you never run from the safety of your home when it is near. You know what awaits you outside and you have no desire to look it in the eyes. It is a creature born from nightmares that crawls out of the sea, its skin stripped away to reveal only blackened muscle tendons and pulsing veins. And there are some photos of the necklavy in the YouTube video. I mean, renderings, drawings. No one's caught an actual image.
B
Oh, yes.
A
It's horrifying.
B
Yeah.
A
If you saw that in real life.
B
That's the thing. It's like, this feels so fictional in the way that it looks. You're like, oh, of course. This is a scary movie. This is a scary cartoon.
A
This is Scooby Doo, which you would hope. But there are stories, and they say that its very breath can stick in your crops, poison your cattle, and wither away your life force. And as it draws nearer, there is only one thing that can save you. The question is, will you make it in time? Or will you fall victim to the monster that has haunted your ancestors for centuries? The Naklavi is a horse like sea demon from Orkney folklore, feared as one of the most malevolent Scottish spirits. And I hope none of you shall ever or have ever encountered it. But as we always say, if you have email us. Okay, so now I'm going to talk about the origins and the description of the Nukla V. Pronounced Nukla V but spelled N U C K E L A V E E. It comes from Orcadian folklore, which is the Orkney Islands of northern Scotland. The name translates to devil of the sea. And it is considered one of the most fearsome creatures in Scottish legend, often called the most evil of all sea demons. And everything I found is like they harp on the fact that it has zero redeeming qualities.
B
It's also so creepy that this thing is a sea demon because it doesn't look like one.
A
No. And so that's another thing that's up for debate. Like, no one knows what it looks like when it's in the ocean or in the sea, but it doesn't seem like based on stories. It doesn't seem to attack people in the bodies of water. It has been tormenting the people of Orkney Islands and northern Scotland for centuries. So where the heck are the Orkney Islands, you might ask? Well, they're off the north coast of mainland Scotland and up there There are about 70 islands, 20 of which are inhabited by humans. These islands have been inhabited for over 8,500 years, originally occupied by the Mesolithic and Neolithic tribes, before eventually becoming absorbed into the kingdom of Scotland. So it's a place of blended traditions and we'll kind of at the end talk about how this morphed being like, literally it's a human torso fused on top of a horse. Is almost a direct fusion of all these different cultures creating a monster. You're creeping me out.
B
Sorry. Well, I'm keeping us safe. My head's on a swivel.
A
You're on patrol.
B
I see something, I look. If I hear something, I look.
A
You say something. Okay. So these islands are known to have mild weather. They are known for extremely fertile soil and a rich history of folklore. The islands are divided by straits with dangerous tidal currents that result in frequent whirlpools. So keep that in mind.
B
That's so scary.
A
Whirlpools, very dangerous waters.
B
Oh, people Are talking about riptides and are afraid of riptides. Whirlpools.
A
Horrifying. Where do you go?
B
You can't get out of that.
A
The wind whips wild upon the land and it's so violent that even most of these islands are barren of trees. Like they can't survive because of the wind being so wild. Which you might think, great, I can see in all directions. Like right now we are. Our views are limited because there are trees, there's different structures. You would think, great, no trees. I can see everything. But that also means you can see everything.
B
And they can see you and.
A
There'S nowhere to hide. So the Naklavi is perhaps as old as the islands themselves. But as with many legends that we've discussed on G. Rosema Ghost, the story of the Naklavi has spread through oral tellings and was passed on from generation to generation. Which unfortunately means we don't know the specific origin of the Nucklevee. But there is one that it's considered to be the earliest written account of the Naklavi. And it comes from the 16th century. Walter Traill Denison was a well known folklorist from Sande in the Orkney Islands. And in the late 1800s, Denison went around collecting, documenting and preserving the oral traditions of the Orkney Islands. Which snaps for Denison. He published them in collections and shared vivid details so that these traditions were preserved forever, not just in oral traditions, but in written word. One of the stories that he documented was the story of Tamas and the haunting encounter with the Naklavi. So this story was first published in the Orcadian Sketchbook. And Dennison noted that the Nucklavi was considered the most terrible of all sea monsters of the Northern Isles. Now this is the famous encounter. This is the story of Tomas as he himself shared and was then passed down through oral storytelling over generations. Tomas was a local Orkney man and he was making his way home on a dark and stormy night. His path was along the sea, a desolate route where he walked this many a time. He rarely ever encountered anyone, especially walking back at night. The wind whipped at him from all directions and Tomas pulled his jacket tighter around his body. He continued on his way home when all of a sudden he heard the heavy thuds of hooves behind him. There was something wrong about this sound. One, he rarely ever passed another living soul on his late night walks home. And two, these hooves did not sound like a normal horse. They were heavier and they were approaching fast. Tomas turned his head, looking for the Source. And that is when he saw the monstrous figure. It was horse shaped, but without skin. And Tomas can see the vein. Every vein and every muscle fiber and every tendon as it pulsed and stretched with each gallop.
B
That's so sick.
A
If you've ever been to the Body Museum.
B
Yes, it's like that. We did a Girl Scout troop sleep over there.
A
What?
B
Wait. No, sorry. It was the Museum of Science. And then we slept in the. We were assigned. My troupe was assigned to the body room. So I actually did sleep beneath open muscle.
A
And you make a lot more sense now. Like, if we were ever to do, like, a story about you, that would be part of your origin story.
B
It all began when I had to sleep under the musculoskeletal system. A plane.
A
Atop this beastly horse was a man. But this man was also missing its skin. And as Tomas stared in horror, he realized. This is not a man riding a horse. It was literally fused to the horse part of it. And that wasn't all. With so much horror, Tomas could hardly believe what he was seeing. And everything is happening so quick. But despite that, he's able to remember every single detail. Because how can you forget something so horrific? I feel like it's either one or the other. Where it's. You disassociate, repress all of it. Or you cannot forget a single thing, right?
B
It's haunting your eyes forever. You close your eyes, and that's all you see.
A
The arms of this monster were dragging on the ground floor far too long. And in the middle of the horse's head was a single red burning eye, glaring towards him. As it approached nearer and nearer, Tomas was struck by the smell he could only later describe as the smell of death. It reeked of rot and disease, like swallowing the plague. Now, Tomas, yes, he's terrified. But he knows what he's looking at. He hardly can believe it. Because he thought it was a story made up by his parents. A scary story told in the dark back in, you know, the old days. But no, it was real. The Naklavi, as he had been warned, was now right behind him. And seriously, it is right behind him. It is catching up to him. It's closing the gap. It's racing towards him at an ungodly speed. And Tomas racked his brain, trying to remember everything his parents and neighbors had told him about the knuckle V. Something he couldn't remember. There was something about fresh water. Should he run towards fresh water? Or should he run away from fresh water?
B
Right. Is that where the Thing lives normally couldn't remember.
A
But he was running out of time and there was a stream nearby. So he had to make a decision quick. He decided to run towards the stream, hoping the knuckle of the feared freshwater not revered it. The Knucklev was now inches away and Tomas could feel its rancid hot breath on his neck. The stream is steps away. His heart is pounding. And just as he feels the demon's long hand brush its nails on his back, Tomas leaps over the stream. He stops, put his hands on his knees, trying to catch his breath. And he notices silence. The demon is no longer behind him. He turns and sees the monster standing on the other side of the stream. It stares at him and it lets out a terrifying night shattering shriek that is filled with anger and rage. And it continued to scream as it turned back towards the sea and vanished into the night. Terrified, Tomas ran all the way home, closed all of his windows, locked the door, curled into a ball and rocked himself to sleep. I think I added that detail, but I imagine that's what he did because that's what I would do. He woke the next morning. Fortunate he lived to tell his tale and tell his tale he did. He shared his nightmarish encounter in vivid detail, giving the world the first, as far as we know it, detailed record of the terrifying and skinless plague bringing demon called Naklavi that we know today.
B
Wow.
A
And Tomas was a well known respected member of society and so they believed him. They had no reason to think he was making it up and they could tell he was terrified. So this encounter was passed on year after year. And it was also not the first encounter with the Naklavi. Like this became like nowadays when Dennison was doing the research that was the most famous retelling of it. But I think in his research it became clear that that wasn't the first time the Naklavi was spoken about.
B
Yeah.
A
It was just the most memorable story.
B
Yeah. Like that thing seems like it's ancient and there's probably been so many encounters. It's just. This is written.
A
Exactly.
B
It's more modern.
A
Are you looking at us right now? And you're like, oh my gosh, you two are beautiful. Glowing. If you can't see us. Corinne, you're stunning.
B
Thanks. So are you.
A
And it's because we are using Jones Road miracle balm palettes.
B
I'm actually so excited to have them as a sponsor. Jones Road was create from the makeup artist who created Bobbi Brown. And I've been following her story for years and she when debuting these products and showing it, it was so incredible to see how it just like melts into people's skin. I know the products are so versatile. You can use them as like on your lips, as highlighter, as bronzer. As of all blush.
A
You can use it anywhere and for aging skin.
B
I've been telling my mom actually that she wants to try it for aging skin. It's so nice because it doesn't collect into in your wrinkles. Like Miracle Balm is a good name.
A
It's the perfect name. We love it and it really does give that natural no makeup look. And Jones Road has so many other amazing makeup products. So many skin first staples like the just enough tinted moisturizer.
B
We love it and you guys, if you want to try it, we have a deal. Modern day makeup that's clean, strategic and multifunctional for effortless routines for a limited time for our listeners are getting a free cool gloss on their first purchase. When you use the code TGOG at checkout, just head to Jonesroadbeauty.com and use code TGOG at checkout. After you purchase they will ask where you heard about them. So please support our show. Let them know that we sent you.
A
I feel like TV and movies make it seem like OCD is this thing that magically helps characters solve crimes or keep their house really clean.
B
That is not ocd.
A
OCD is a serious and highly misunderstood condition that causes people to get stuck in a cycle of stressful unwanted thoughts like intrusive thoughts and repetitive behaviors, compulsions which can become debilitating.
B
And I would know because I have ocd. So imagine your brain just being stuck on the worst thought that you've ever had. And I'm talking like an unwanted thought. Like that memory doesn't feel clear. Did I make it up? What if something bad happened and I forgot? What if I murdered my brother and he's no longer alive and everyone else is just faking things around me? The thought plays over and over and over in your mind. It's really hard to get out of that spiral.
A
But with the right kind of help from a specialized therapist who truly understands what you're experiencing and is trained to treat it, OCD is extremely manageable. At no cd, every therapist deeply understands ocd.
B
I first saw treatment for my OCD when I was 14 years old and so I'm really happy that a company like this exists.
A
NOCD makes sure you're supported between sessions with powerful in app tools, messaging, your therapist, peer communities, live support groups, all in the nocd app, so you never have to navigate the condition on your own. And NOCD accepts most major insurance plans and is covered for over 155 million Americans.
B
If you're ready to start getting help from a therapist who truly understands OCD, visit nocd.com to book a free call. That's n o c d dot com.
A
So, Corinne, you might be wondering, well, what the heck does the Necklavy want? That is a great question. He's just pure evil. No, he has to have some need, right? Or desire. The belief was that the monster was said to bring about disease, famine, and destruction. And sightings of the Necklavy were always accompanied by cattle epidemics, crop blights and drought, as well as mysterious illnesses in villages. So it seemed like the Naklavi was determined to destroy mankind. And we're going to break that down a little bit more in a moment, but I want to share a couple more new characteristics that have evolved over time. It was said that the Knucklevi was confined to the sea most of the year and that the mother of the sea kept him in check during summer months. But then in the colder months, wind storms raged and nights grew long. He could evade the mother of the Sea and roam land freely. No one knows for certain what form he holds in the sea, but it seems like land is the only place to worry about him. And the only way to survive the necklavy is fresh water, a stream, a pond, or even the Scottish rain.
B
Oh, I like that.
A
And it's also weak to iron. But rain or fresh water is the only deterrent. Otherwise you're doomed.
B
It is scary that it's like land and sea, but the only thing that will save you is fresh water. What about like a running faucet? A bathtub?
A
I. I mean, that's water. How much?
B
Your own human body is made up of a lot of water.
A
I don't think your own human body will protect you.
B
Shoot.
A
Maybe if you drink a gallon of water a day.
B
Oh, shoot. That's salt water.
A
Yeah. But as you can tell from the descriptions of, like, what it is believed that he wanted. A lot of the themes come with cattle dying, crops dying, people getting sick, towns getting ill.
B
Very chupacabra.
A
So.
B
And vampire and plagues and everything.
A
But I think that is. It's a theme that's very common when we talk about folklore, urban legends, and the creation of, or the belief in a lot of these monsters, because there's usually with most monster stories, a message behind the fear. So we're going to look back at the history of the place that he yields from. Orkney Islands. This area is not part of Scotland until 1472, and until then they were ruled by the Norse and their descendants. The islands were then settled by the Picts and the Lowland Scots, which created a unique cultural mix which is embodied in the physical representation of the Necklavi. Horses played a large role in the Celtic and Norse mythology. Odin rode a horse that could cross water. Hel rode a three legged horse that spread death and decay. There were also many fairies and supernatural forces in these cultures that could not cross running water. So it feels like this Naklavi is truly a blend of these flowers. And as is common in history, famine, death and decay were aplenty. And they were so common that people truly revered nature. They would do rituals, they would make sacrifices to gods in hopes of a bountiful harvest. And then when faced with famine, they were really desperate to find reason or cause. That means they must have angered the gods, or perhaps there were evil entities out there to get them. Which, if we look at the origins of the Necklavy, it begins around the time of the kelp industry. And back in the day, the Orcadians would burn seaweed to produce what they called kelp, and not kelp as we know it today, but it was basically like burning seaweed to produce a sodium carbonate that could be used for fertilizer. It could also be used to produce soap or create ceramics. And it was the main industry of these islands. Whenever they burned seaweed, which was a lot because it was like their main industry, people would die, death and decay would follow. Crops would die, cattle of the islands would die. And they truly thought Nucklevy was punishing them for burning seaweed because he was of the sea and that his revenge would come in the form of a horrid, rancid smell. His breath. And death would take people, cattle and crops. But we have learned in recent times that burning seaweed produced a side effect. It released arsenic.
B
Oh, okay.
A
So, yeah, it released arsenic and when ingested, caused people, animals and crops to die. Around the 19th century, kelp production became a thing of the past. And slowly, so too did Naklavi's wrath on the people of the Orkney Islands. For years, though, the Nucklavi was the embodiment of human fear, the unstoppable force of nature. And while now today we understand, like, the side effect of burning seaweed in the way that they did, probably was the cause of a lot of these things, right? For them, it was such a terrifying reality that they wanted to believe it was the sea demon that was truly evil. And so, while the real threat of nucklevy is not truly as prominent today, folklorists and historians rank it as one of the most horrifying creatures of European myth because of its appearance, its body, its breath, its pulsing. Oof. Veins.
B
Yeah, I would vote it very creepy for, like, the everyday monster. But I will argue that I think the creepiest of the European folklore is all of those cryptids and creatures and witches and ghouls and fairies all around Christmas.
A
Oh, 100% Krampus.
B
They're way scarier.
A
Pesta. Although I loved Pesta.
B
Loved just all of them. Oh, Christmas is the worst. Christmas is scary.
A
Christmas should terrify you. I terrify myself sometimes. Okay, but. So the Knuckle V has appeared in a few fantasy novels and video games, but sadly, it's not as remembered or revere in the Orkney Islands or really in the world. So that is why today we are giving the Knuckle V a platform. Please don't come riding out of the woods.
B
But no, we have a bottle of fresh water next to us and a pond behind us.
A
Yes.
B
So we will survive. I will survive.
A
The Knucklev does remind us that monsters that lurk in the dark might not always come in physical form, but harsh winters, illness and death are inevitable. And those threats are very real and always will be, as will the wilderness and nature and the darkness. That reality is way worse than the nightmarish vision of the Naklavi. And whether you see him or not, his hoofbeats and terrible morning breath are carried by mother nature in the angry, volatile waves and the storms that rage on a mind of their own, unstoppable by any among mankind.
B
Man, this is such a good reminder that so many of these tales, and kind of like older ghost stories, do have roots in just famine or something horrible happening. And people are grasping for anything that could make sense of the terror that they're experiencing. Though I do feel for him because while I don't like stinky things, I have to admit I think that I am the stinky thing because I have been drinking so much, so much coffee, I can't even imagine how rancid my breath is half the time.
A
I sit close to you quite often and I have not smelt any rancidness.
B
That's you telling a lie to yourself. Because I think for a good six hours of the day when I'm cranking through that coffee pot.
A
Yeah, I think more than Anything. We're both so severely dehydrated that we probably are not aware of each other's own sink.
B
Yeah, that's true. We're going to work on that. Actually, I've decided that I'm going to do stuff about my health in my appearance.
A
We even said that in our 2026 meeting about the podcast and our business.
B
Our security of ourselves.
A
I used to cook. I used to work out. I used to.
B
Yeah.
A
Now I'm the Nukla vegan. If you saw me.
B
I mean, my health is so bad. My dentist said something about it.
A
I don't even have dental insurance.
B
I don't even have a dentist. Guys, we're struggling.
A
We're struggling.
B
And so let's ignore and forget about us onto my story. I have written. Ah, a peaceful afternoon swim around a lazy river.
A
Oh, okay, this is a lazy river monster.
B
This is a lazy river.
A
Okay, we're on a lazy river.
B
We're not at a resort, you know, it's not man made lazy river.
A
Oh, it's a real river.
B
The lazy river.
A
A real one.
B
Yeah. We're having a calm, lazy, sweet summer afternoon. The sun is warm on your skin, water gently lapping against you. Your friend is seated on the edge of shore, chatting with you about nothing, really. Life is good. It's slow, it's peaceful. It's summer. Your mind drifts to some evening plans. Perhaps you'll stop for some ice cream on the way home. Or Taco Bell. Or you'll head to that rest.
A
Or both.
B
Or both. Or maybe you'll head with a friend to the new restaurant that you've been wanting to try. And as your mind drifts to these thoughts, suddenly it's interrupted because something has brushed your leg. Ew. Probably just a fish, right? But then, without warning, you are violently pulled beneath the surface by something powerful.
A
Wait, yours is a water monster too?
B
Yes, we both did water monsters.
A
We should have done this in a river.
B
Shoot.
A
Get a hot tub. Oh, hot tub would be so nice. Stop shaking of cold right now.
B
This is making me want a hot tub so bad. Okay, pivot the conversation and the podcast. We're now redoing just hot tub combos. That's the new podcast.
A
We'd get a hold of it.
B
I'm forgetting two girls, one coast.
A
Yeah, two girls, one coast.
B
No, I'm. I'm going to wear like a full on, like just like a hoodie sweatshirt. Like not exposed at all, just in the dripping wet hot tub. So you are now pulled underneath the water by something quite powerful. Its unseen claws are gripping deeply around your ankle. Its grip so firm, so unmoving. How will you ever break free? Your lungs burn as you fight desperately for air. Your heart pounds as the claws dig deeper. And you yourself claw or attempt to claw your way back to the surface.
A
This reminds me so much of a listener story read a couple of episodes ago on an Encounters where she kept having that nightmare of, like, this headless woman pulling her under the water. And then she found a photo of, like, that woman standing in front of their old barn on the property.
B
Oh, yeah. I just got chills. Yeah, yeah. Like it didn't make sense that her spirit would be so angry and do that. Yeah, she had the connection to when she died there.
A
Yeah.
B
So in this scenario that I've just told you, this actually is not just the stuff of nightmares. This is something that happened. For there is a beast in the American waters. This is the green clawed beast of the Ohio River.
A
Ooh.
B
The Ohio river. Winding through six states and flowing over 980 miles. It holds many secrets. Let me just itch my eye and keep talking so everyone can watch my eyeball move around.
A
You have the perfect nails for an eye itch.
B
Oh, my God. You know what I hate so much? When people are rubbing their eye and their eyelid accidentally flips open. Anyone like it? Comment below on YouTube and give us.
A
Here's your weirdest physical things that you like about bodies that everyone else think is icky.
B
Yeah. Beneath the Ohio river lives many secrets. Its murky depths holding monsters, ghouls, dead people. And among its darker legends is a creature that locals still whisper about. Have you seen the creature? Is the water safe? Did you hear? I think the beast is back. Let me guess, but let's rewind 70 years.
A
Does it have a green claw?
B
It does. Very aptly named. So 70 years ago, August 21, 1955, it was sweltering hot. It was August, and it was the afternoon on the Ohio river in Evansville, Indiana. Naomi Johnson and her three children, along with her friend Louise Lambolt, enjoyed a very leisurely swim in the Ohio river near Dogtown, unaware that their day of relaxation was about to turn into something absolutely terrifying. So Louise was not a strong swimmer, so she brought with her to the river that day a black inner tube. And she was swimming in the tube.
A
A camera just died.
B
Yeah, tech issues in the woods. So now just a wide camera, one angle, and that's all you get. Okay, so Naomi, she's swimming just freely. She doesn't have any flotation devices. With her. Her three kids.
A
Sorry.
B
Swim.
A
Swim. Your neighbors are like, what are these ladies doing?
B
They know what we do, but they.
A
Have not seen it in the wild.
B
So the three kids that are with Naomi, they. Excuse me. Sabrina's misbehaving. For my story, I'll stop. Look at the sky.
A
Look.
B
Sabrina, get distracted.
A
I'll be on guard.
B
Tell me how many stars you see. Ready? Can you count to when you get to five? You can.
A
I am your child. I'm your second child. I am sleeping in your bed tonight.
B
So Naomi's three kids are on the shore. They're on the bank. After just a few minutes in the water, Naomi feels something brush against her leg.
A
That's truly my worst year in the water. What is going to grab you underneath, beneath me?
B
Actually, I have a very quick story. I, on Lake Champlain, was swimming with a bunch of friends, and, like, our.
A
Parents, bunch of champs.
B
We were all swimming there, and something touched me, and I refused to put my legs back down. I was freaking out. I, like, remained on the surface, and I was like, I got to get back to the boat. And everyone's like, you're overreacting. You're overreacting. I was freaking out. So we all make our way back to the boat. As soon as we get on the boat, what surfaces? A giant snapping turtle. So everyone else was like, you're overreacting. And they could have gotten their toes bit off.
A
Snapped right on off.
B
So if something touches you, get out right now.
A
It's the end of you and me. Okay? I'm letting my.
B
I can't wait for you to be gone. Thank you.
A
Encore is happening on Patreon.
B
This should be a Patreon special worm.
A
And we are delusional. I am shivering.
B
Okay, so something brushes against Naomi's leg, and then suddenly it comes back and it grabs her. And this time, it is not brushing up against her leg. It is violently grabbing her leg. And what grabs her leg seems hairy. So she's, like, feeling this really hairy thing beneath her. And a giant hand wraps around her, and it is pulling her down from the water surface.
A
Is it hair or is it, like, wrapped in, like, some stringy seaweed that FL feels like hair.
B
Ooh, I don't know.
A
Either way, it's awful.
B
They did kind of. I think one article compared it to, like, almost, like, a bear pop. And so I do think that it was, like, truly feeling furry. Yeah. Louise is watching, and she is absolutely shocked. She's frozen in fear. She's horrified. She's watching her Friend. Fifteen feet or so from her, thrashing in the water, struggling to get her head above the surface. She's, like, literally drowning, fighting for her life. And so Naomi, she manages to break free from this thing, and she gasps and gasps for air. And as she's doing this, she's reaching for Louise's tube. And Louise is, like, making. Paddling over, like, making her way over with the inner tube. Then they reach each other, and Naomi grabs the black inner tube, and the rubber makes this loud, you know, like the sound of your hand, like, grabbing, like wet rubber. It makes this kind of, like, popping sound. And that scared whatever this thing was enough for it to just retreat into the water.
A
The green cloud monster doesn't like rubber.
B
No. He's spooked by sudden noises and movement. So now the two quickly make their way to shore, and that is when they see a mark on Naomi's leg. And this is where she felt the claw or, like, this furry hand grab her. The mark is deep, deep scratches on her, the form of a handprint. And oddly, there is a green stain. It's like tampering didn't just bruise her.
A
Or leave the decay that exists in bodies of water.
B
Yes. Yeah. She's truly stained.
A
Ew. It does remind me of a Scooby Doo creature who is the one that lives in the water. There's like, a. I think he wears. He wears the old timey scuba outfit with the big. It almost looks like an astronaut.
B
Oh, oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. I remember this.
A
Yeah, I think he has, like, the green sea sludge.
B
So they report this incident, right? And local authorities quickly mobilize. They scour the river. They're looking for any signs of Naomi's attacker, but they find nothing. Naomi's then taken to the hospital, and her wounds mysteriously fade by morning, leaving the doctors very baffled. And they have no clue what this is or what happened. And they have nothing to go off of anymore.
A
It must be supernatural.
B
It must be supernatural.
A
That's so fascinating, because I was thinking about how terrible that scar must be.
B
But no, it literally just vanished. Yep. It was like a 24 hour thing. So Naomi, she continued to do some interviews with local press, and she recounted how it felt really furry. It felt really strong. It seemed to want to keep her underwater and bring her deep, deeper down. And so she did these initial interviews, and I keep calling her Naomi because that did come up most often, but there were a couple of reports that said her name was a different name. And basically people were saying, like, that doesn't actually, like, Most of the time you'd think, like, oh, well, then this is a fake story. But people were like, no, no, no. That doesn't discredit the story. It was just spreading like wildfire in this local community. And while she did some interviews, she didn't do a lot of them. So it was kind of like misprints in retelling the story.
A
Right?
B
Or the details didn't change. It was only her name.
A
I also imagine, like, someone being like, oh, it was my friend. And, like, they said a name to, like, be closer to the story, but it was actually Naomi.
B
Well, and so Naomi originally did a few interviews, but she didn't do a ton of interviews because someone else was trying to keep her quiet about this whole thing.
A
The Green Claw Monster.
B
The US Air Force.
A
Oh, I was gonna say, is the Green Claw Monster visiting her in her nightmares?
B
No, a colonel from the Air Force.
A
Oh, my God.
B
He's like the Men in Black, right? So apparently he paid the Johnson family a visit and at the end of said visit, basically was like, oh, we need to hear what happens. Like, we're collecting a report. But then at the very end, as he was leaving, he warned them to never speak to anyone about this encounter ever again.
A
Not proof that aliens live in bodies of water. Maybe the green clawed monster is actually.
B
An alien shape of water.
A
Oh, my God.
B
But it was too late, because Naomi already said interviews. And so news of Naomi's attack spread like wildfire. It sparked a wave of fear and curiosity throughout Indiana and the neighboring states. And on Monday, August 15, 1955, the Evansville Press ran a story about a local woman who fought off some something in the river. And the headline read, woman battles it in Ohio river, identifying her as Mrs. Darwin Johnson, which. That's a different name than Naomi Johnson. And noting the claws especially. A lot of attention on the claws. Yes.
A
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B
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B
So as the legend grows, the more chilling accounts surface, each one eerily similar in detail. And people begin talking. Some people are saying that they are spotting something really large moving underneath their boats on the Ohio River. Another person said that they too felt something really strange and possibly hairy brush up against their leg. And as these additional encounters surface, residents of Evansville.
A
And no, that one was long bodied.
B
Ew.
A
Don't even. You had a quick reaction time.
B
It felt furry.
A
It almost like went in your nose, too, to a slow zoom replay of that.
B
That was, I'm sure, this expression, but it was a horrendous experience as well. Okay, so the surrounding communities, they start talking, right? Because now other people are like, well, I think that there's something strange in the water. And then there were these reports that were printed a bunch of times in different news outlets. And so people are like, what could this be? And soon theories of a beast begin to develop. Because so far we only know that there's like a green stain. Something grabbed her, felt like a furry hand pulled her down and it left claw marks and everything mysteriously disappeared the next day.
A
Which doesn't line up with most water creatures.
B
No, no, the local platypus isn't grabbing you like this. So some speculate that it might be a previously undiscovered river cryptid lurking underneath in these muddy waters. Perhaps a survivor from prehistoric times. Like, go off monster, go off. Basically saying, like, it's not a cryptid, it's just a dinosaur that we basically have in.
A
A survival. I'm so sorry, everyone. We can't stop.
B
Yeah, can't stop. But kind of like the same theories that come with, like, Champ and Nessie, right, where it's like, okay, well, are these just iterations of a prehistoric creature? Stegosaurus that survived?
A
Yeah.
B
Others whisper about darker theories, like a radioactive waste incident from an industrial plant nearby that seeped chemicals into the water source and created some sort of horrid mutated beast.
A
How far is this from the frogman of Loveland, Ohio? Oh, that's interesting, because maybe there's a weird chemical leak.
B
I have no clue that it's a good segue into one of my next parts. But through the various reprints of Naomi's encounter, the cryptid soon developed to moniker the green clawed beast. So it's interesting you brought up the frogman because exactly one week after the Evansville encounter, the region was flooded again with a headline not of the frogman, but the Kelly Hopkinsville Encounter.
A
Wait, the Gulf, which you talked about?
B
Yeah, like a few years ago.
A
And that one has ties to a bunch of different other cryptid alien type things too, that I think we've referenced in other episodes.
B
Isn't that what Hellier is? I think Hellier is about the Kentucky Green Goblins.
A
Green Goblins, yeah.
B
Okay, so this headline, the Kelly Hopkinsville encounter happened from August 21 to August 22, 1955, in which a family near Hopkinsville, Kentucky, told police that they had been besieged by small goblin like beings. And this case is basically attributed to aliens and UFOs, and it is among the most reported in UFO lore. And it's often the one that is said to basically be associated with the phrase little green men.
A
Yes.
B
United Press follows up.
A
It's weird timing that it happened so close together.
B
Right. Within a week.
A
And we did cover it. We'll find the episode and link it or put it in the show notes so that people can go back and listen to that episode.
B
So one of the news outlets actually took a picture, apparently of Mrs. Johnson or Naomi reading about the Hopkinsville coverage, which I think is like, I love that.
A
So meta.
B
It's so meta.
A
It would be even better if it was a picture of the little green goblins reading about themselves.
B
But basically I was like, speculating, could this little green goblin that kept this other family captive or held them in the house for a couple days, could this also be this green sludgy creature that attacked Naomi this one day?
A
Totally. It could be. How do we know? What do we know? But I feel like the description of this beastly claw feels much bigger than the description of the little green men. Yes, but can they change size? We don't know. Do they have big hands and small bodies?
B
Well, and this is kind of where it gets confusing because in the original prints of what happened, details did kind of remain the same and Naomi's name has changed a little bit. But now this is where new details are emerging or things are changing and the story is kind of all over the place. But it is weird because in all of this investigation and the retelling, people start to realize that actually the day that this green clawed beast attacked a woman in the Ohio river, people on the shore of the Kentucky side of the Ohio river that same day had reported seeing something strange in the sky.
A
Oh. Oh. Ooh.
B
So now coincidence? Me thinks not. Me thinks not. Two unrelated Stories one week apart in the same same river and valley region. That seems very weird, right?
A
Yeah.
B
So this doesn't explain the Hopkinsville goblins encountered nearby. But for Louise and Naomi, some speculated that the encounter was not with the green clawed beast, but maybe with a fish. Because the Ohio river offers many big fish. Clawed yielding fish, hairy handed fish, I don't know. I don't know. There's blue catfish that exceed 100 pounds and several species of gar with bony scales and abrasive fins. Indiana's official record for a blue catfish was 104 pounds. For a catfish that was caught.
A
That's massive.
B
Yep. It was caught in 1999 in the Ohio River. But none of these animals have hairy paws. None of them leave strange green stained handprints that disappear under 24 hours on.
A
And the act of whatever it is fully grabbing her. I feel like, yes, that's terrifying. And maybe you misremember some details, but you don't forget the feeling of something grabbing you in that manner.
B
Yeah. And like I mentioned my encounter with a snapping turtle and some people did say, okay, well like there are some pretty big ass snapping turtles in the Ohio river and it could easily like claw and scratch and startle a swimmer, but basically like seizing and dragging her down and having a whole handprint again. It's like we go back to what was actually presented to hospital staff when she was examined. And none of this makes sense for the green stained handprint and nail marks dug into her skin.
A
Nope.
B
So now we're back to the paranormal options. Right.
A
Which we've been at the whole time.
B
Right. And as if this mysterious human attacking Cryptid wasn't enough of a mystery, another paranormal occurrence begins.
A
Another.
B
Yes. So we have the Kentucky goblins nearby, but then people are starting to see strange glowing lights hovering over the river late at night. There's no sound, just these really bright lights. So like basically UFOs people begin to.
A
Claim smoke cloud came in a circle, it blew o's, the candle blew O's.
B
Some people begin to claim that there is a metallic disc looking object that appears beneath the water surface and not like a UFO underwater. And so people are like, well, could this be aliens? Are aliens visiting the US and the Ohio river along the Indiana Kentucky region? Was there some sort of weird wormhole or portal that opened up here, leaving access for these creatures to venture into this region at this time? Which kind of makes sense to me because I'm like, why else would so.
A
Many encounters all happen around the same time?
B
Right. Like that's so bizarre and they're like, not exactly the same, but they're like really strange paranormal encounters that are quite vivid and people are being physically attacked or held.
A
What if the portal exists in the river and the green clawed beast was trying to grab onto Naomi to get out, to get to the surface, to then creep on other people?
B
Yeah, or it wanted to turn in the inner tube. I don't know, something like that. Well, I guess if that were the.
A
Case, they wouldn't have been scared of the inner tomb.
B
Louise would be attacked and not Naomi. So people are like, okay, well is there some sort of extraterrestrial experiment going on? A secret government testing site nearby? Especially because the supposed visit from the US Air Force colonel where he was like, never speak of this again. That seems suspicious if that did truly happen.
A
What was that?
B
An acorn?
A
That was violent.
B
That was violent.
A
Okay, let's watch this from me, if.
B
That hit our head, I think it could crack our craniums. I'm going under Hood, I'm going to too.
A
No, we're the scary people in the woods.
B
And then some people were like, okay, well maybe it's a fish or maybe it's driftwood. And maybe it was just the river itself. It's cold, it's murky, it's slimy. It's alive.
A
It's alive.
B
And sometimes alive for things that we'll never truly see. Perhaps dinosaurs. But what we know for sure, because we don't really have any answers as to what this thing is, is that In August of 1955, something reached first swimmer in the Ohio River. The papers called it a beast. Whatever it was, it has not.
A
Did it scare you?
B
Yeah, it hasn't been explained since. And if it happened once, who's to say it won't happen again? And that is the green clad beast of the Ohio River.
A
I truly believe it's an alien.
B
Oh, it definitely seems like an alien.
A
I guess when it comes to cryptids and monsters, like where do we draw the line of like a creature we haven't found or discovered on Earth?
B
And I guess we think of aliens.
A
Aliens.
B
Something different. Thank you. So it's like can kind of encompass all cryptids and paranormal in a way.
A
Well, a question for you. Who would you rather face? The necklace or the green clawed monster? A question for you actually, Corinne. Who would you rather?
B
This is a tough one, I think the Neckla V. Interesting. It's a hard answer, but I think that one just because there's a way to survive where it's like what if.
A
You'Re nowhere near water?
B
Run. I do agree I'm never not near water. How about that?
A
You just travel around with like a little kiddie pool in your trunk full of fresh water. Yeah.
B
I mean, like water bottles.
A
I do agree it feels easier to escape, whereas if you're in the river, you don't know what's beneath you unless you're like right next to the shore, what could grab you. Same with the ocean.
B
Yeah. And also the necklavy seems to be regional. Right. Where it's like you could. You could avoid this or like, be really careful around water sources and like, things that you're doing if you're in that region.
A
Yeah.
B
While the Green Claw beast, from what we know only appeared in the Ohio river, it does seem like it's connected to these sort of UFO sightings and goblin sightings and just kind of like alien creatures. So who's to say it doesn't pop up anywhere, anytime, and it just comes with the UFOs.
A
And didn't you say it's 900 something miles of river?
B
Yeah.
A
So it could travel? It's.
B
It totally can. And also, like, is it living in the spaceship beneath the surface?
A
Well, now maybe I should pick the green clawed monster. Take me down, take me, take me with you. Although I can't survive underwater, so I don't think my fate would be very good abducted that way. Anyway. Monsters and falling acorns and bugs. Lots of things to be afraid of.
B
Yeah, we gotta go.
A
Close your closets, check under your bed, keep your toes underneath the covers, and join us on Patreon if you want episodes one week early and ad free rate and review us on itunes. Check us out on YouTube. Tell all of your friends and family and strangers about our podcast because that's how we take over the world.
B
Shout out to Jamie Ryan, who edits and produces our podcast. Thank you, Jamie.
A
And thanks to all of you.
B
And we will see you on the other side.
A
Very spooky.
B
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Hosts: Corinne Vien & Sabrina Deana-Roga
Release Date: September 28, 2025
Corinne and Sabrina dive into two chilling monster legends: the gruesome Scottish Nuckelavee and the enigmatic Green Clawed Beast of the Ohio River. Broadcasting from deep in the woods, they layer atmosphere, folklore, and personal banter to create an immersive exploration of how local horrors become enduring supernatural myths.
Begins ~01:16
“I was very on edge because the woods are behind us. There were a lot of creeks, there were a lot of cracks.” – Sabrina (01:46)
06:30–08:49
“This is not one of those meditations. This is a Two Girls One Ghost monster meditation.” – Sabrina (07:19)
“It waits at the end of your bed, outside of your tent, maybe in the backseat of your car or at the bottom of a lake, reaching for your ankles.” – Sabrina (07:34)
12:00–34:10
Sabrina introduces the Nuckelavee:
“A body absent of skin. Huge veins and muscle fiber exposed and raw, throbbing and pulsing... The worst of all is its breath.” – Sabrina (12:03, 13:07)
Legend hails from Orkney Islands, Scotland; the name translates as “devil of the sea” (15:19).
Tomas and the Night on the Moors
“As it approached nearer and nearer, Tomas was struck by the smell he could only later describe as the smell of death. It reeked of rot and disease, like swallowing the plague.” – Sabrina (21:55)
“Whenever they burned seaweed… people would die, death and decay would follow. Crops would die, cattle... would die. And they truly thought Nuckelavee was punishing them...” – Sabrina (31:38)
35:34–57:16
“A colonel from the Air Force… warned them to never speak to anyone about this encounter ever again.” – Corinne (45:53)
“People are starting to see strange glowing lights hovering over the river late at night…. Could this be aliens?” – Corinne (54:45)
Banter about monster preferences—would you rather face the Nuckelavee or the Green Claw? (57:52)
“It feels easier to escape, whereas if you’re in the river, you don’t know what’s beneath you unless you’re right next to the shore…” – Sabrina (58:24)
Deeper themes about how monsters embody the social anxieties of the times—famine, winter, disease, or pollution—and the folk stories that emerge to explain them (33:47–34:19).
The episode blends research and atmosphere, taking listeners from the desolate moors and violent winds of Orkney to the murky, haunted waterways of the American Midwest. Through their playful banter and well-researched stories, Sabrina and Corinne remind us that monsters—however bizarre—often represent humanity’s deep anxieties about the uncontrollable forces of nature, illness, and the unknown.
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