Banshees Of Fennario

Remember that foul evening, when you heard the banshees howl?

There was lazy, drunken bastards singing Billy in the Bowl…

— Shane McGowan, The Pogues, Sickbed of Cuchulainn

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’Tis the season when the frontiers of Fennario become permeable, when the otherworldly infiltrates into the everyday… or at least our perception of it. It is a time for spooky tales, and they do abound. The world of podcasting has created many a campfire around which we can hear tales of the strange and uncanny.

Take, for instance Wartime Stories.

Whether on the road, going to bed, or anywhere in between, prepare for a true and unusual story of war. For the horror or true crime enthusiast, we cover the most chilling and grotesque cases of crimes against humanity. The mystery lover will find bizarre tales, unsolved mysteries, espionage, deception, and creepy encounters of the paranormal. For the action and adventure aficionado, we recount the actions of Medal of Honor recipients, feats of valor, bravery, and ultimate sacrifice.

This podcast operates under the auspices of Ballen Studios, the platform of MrBallen, a former Navy SEAL turned storyteller of the Strange, Dark and Mysterious. The host of Wartime Stories is a former Recon Marine, and his tales revolve around strange encounters of the military kind. Here’s a few…

For me at least, the good marrow of such tales is found in the seams between the known ground truth and the uncanny. Things that could be explained… maybe… but aren’t quite. I am a big believer that lasting folklore comes from something, and is grounded in place and culture. And one does not have to believe in the “supernatural” to recognize and accept the uncanny.

Scary Interesting has just dropped a very worthy take on the strange doings in Canada’s remote Valley of the Headless Men.

There is a place in Canada’s NW territories that is as mysterious as it is remote. It’s a place that’s known for its incredible beauty while simultaneously having a reputation for something darker. Some of the names of the areas in the region include Deadman Valley, Sunblood Mountain, and, most infamously, the Valley of the Headless Men. All of these names were supposedly inspired by the events that took place here. This is all especially strange when you consider that not a single person lives here, and the only way into to the area is by float plane or by boat up a long winding river. It just seems impossible that so many incidents could have occurred in a place where there isn’t anyone, and yet they have. These are the strange incidents of the Nahanni National Park, and the Valley of the Headless Men. As always, viewer discretion is advised.

Some mysteries endure, even in a hyper-modern world that captures the tiniest scraps of data.

It’s always interesting to revisit the Dyatlov Pass Incident…

The Beast of Gévaudan is a perennial favorite around here. It just got the MrBallen treatment:

Enjoy the spooky season. Watch out for the Wendigo. And remember… In the timbers of Fennario, wolves are running ’round…