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Castles & Cryptids

Alanna and Kelsey

Welcome to Castles & Cryptids, a paranormal podcast hosted by a couple of Canadian chickies! Follow Alanna and Kelsey down the rabbit hole as we explore lore and legends, murder and mysteries, the unsolved and the unexplained. Where the castles are haunted and the cryptids are cryptic AF!

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20 episodes
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Avg 1 hr 43 min
English

Episodes 20

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August 28 · 1 hr 45 min
220: Astonishing Art Heists and KFC Capers
So sorry we've been away lovely listeners! back in the saddle again eh?? We love a heist tale over here at C+C Headquarters, and so we plucked a few choice stories to tell that tickled our fancy. What's an art heist without an artist, we may say? Well, Kelsey brings the artistic talent in the case of the Graff Diamonds robbery. the disguises leveled up with the help of a makeup magician, so it doesn't fall off like a bad mustache. After a quick caper into a chicken shack, it's on the Mona Lisa's missing case, the one that made her famous! and likely increased security on Museums everywhere, Plus a mini pirate theft, to satisfyt the swashbuckling swelter of late summer! Keep It Cryptic! Darkcast Promo of the week Stop1 who Does That?
August 7 · 2 hr 1 min
219: The Cursed Episode
Other title option we almost went with-the One With All The Curses! Grab your lucky charms as we chat mysterious manuscripts and ciphers, a cursed play, theatre superstitions and the cursed grave of the Bard himself! It's cursin' time! Kelsey covers a couple of cryptic texts like the one which tends to try and kill you if you try to print it, and the famously unintelligible Voynich Manuscript. The manuscript with an unknown language among other mysteries. Shakespeare's Macbeth is also known as the Scottish Play- too cursed to even say aloud! Bu then there's other superstitions around the stage and the author's grave, and after all isn't all the world a stage? Maybe some things are better left unknown, a perfect segue to Keep it Cryptic! Bye! Darkcast Network Promo: Murder in the PNW
July 24 · 1 hr 52 min
218: Unusual Suspects & Unusual Detectives
Hello cryptic friends! We hope you are enjoying the summer and finding ways to stay cool during these crazy heat waves. This week Kelsey covers an almost unheard of case, the murder of Ricky McCroskey, where evidence collected by honeybees ends up being the break in the case that investigators need. Then find out how bees are being used to help future forensic students at body farms. Alanna shares the story of Abraham Shakespeare, a kind and generous man who spent his last few dollars on a lottery ticket that ended up changing his life. Things take a dark turn a few years later when he dissapears after a family member receives a strange phone call. Find out who is to blame, and why does the motive so often come down to money? Tune in and hear about our latest movie recs, car troubles, cat tangents and what we have been up to lately. Happy listening and catch up with you all next time! Darkcast Network spotlight this week is Stop, Who Does That?
July 11 · 2 hr 10 min
217: African Folktales: Animals, Food + Stories
Jambo Cryptic Crew, we missed you! Sorry there was no new show last week, we were dealing with things and thank you for your patience while we took that time. With much love but no further ado, let's talk folklore from Africa! The intro chat has some smattering of summer wedding tea, a peek into the Patreon tech problems like almost losing half of one host's audio, plus the bonus episode's topic of mystical places like lightning-prone lakes and ley lines so check that out now! Stories start around minute 19 so that no one has to add that in the comments! lol Kelsey hits us with some Kenyan customs and rich cultural background, cities and craftworks, even a show and tell of her own collection! The Show part will be on our site and socials. Storytime #1 : How Zebras got their Striped Skin Second segment starts out commenting on Kelsey's Paws shirt, sorry but it stayed in so there. Then we can't help but talk about food in general, as most podcasters are fond of doing, why are we always starving on mic?? Food does feature in the folklore of course, so we chat about that to kick things off. Then on to two quick stories, The Leopard Famine and The Midnight Goat Thief. Just what the hell is up with those hares, anyhow? Thank you so much for listening, supporting, and most of all, make sure to Keep it Cryptic! Darkcast Promos: Pod of Terror and Book of the Dead
June 19 · 2 hr 30 min
216. Petty Pranks & Phony Performances
We are back and not even technical difficulties could keep us away! Buckle up for a fun tangent filled ep, featuring interruptions by Gordo, many movie and tv show discussions as well as out usual shenanigans. Kelsey kicks things off with a listicle featuring many short tales of revenge and pranks, you may even find some inspiration. Next up Alanna takes a deep dive into the tale of the Bottle Conjuror, where a once in a lifetime performance promising to amaze, turns out to be an elaborate hoax that leaves the public baffled for decades. Closing out with the Riot That Never Was, a radio broadcast that caused a huge reaction and shocked a nation. We hope you enjoy this lighthearted ep, let us know what your favourite story was, Did you know that smelly usb sticks existed? Let us know! Until next time keep it cryptic! Darkcast spotlight Psychology of the Strange If you like the ep thumbnail check out redbubble.com/people/thomassciacca/shop they have tons of cool prints available!
June 5 · 1 hr 53 min
215: Shh! Secret Creatures
EDIT: the audio was fixed from first publish, sorry! way too long lol We are back, baby! Back and not taking a break for a bit so buckle up, it's monster hunting time! If Bigfoot is the best at hide-and-seek, who or what else is out there, unseen and secreted away, underground, in a cave, out of sight? Tons of things, it turns out! Intro chat includes horror movies portraying podcasters, why passkeys/passwords are the worst and technology sucks, and other random thoughts, then we dive into Greek Myth! Ever heard of the Minotaur? And are mazes like labyrinths, could you have a corn labyrinth?? Next it's on to some Norse lore, and the landvaettir land spirits that live in Iceland mostly. They guard the land and live in it too. To top it off, the Tatzelwurm! this mountain dragon dude has many names but only 2 little legs and big eyes! Like a Toothless, he kinda sounds cute, no? You can catch a peek if you are in the Alps, so bring your skis to see this mystical cryptid! Thanks for listening and tune in next time for true crime-pranks and petty hoaxes! Darkcast Promo of the Week: Conspiring to Argue
May 22 · 1 hr 30 min
214: Double Murder in Peru
Welcome back for part 2 of our Peruvian true crime episode, this weeks segment features a complex case involving the deaths of 2 people, each of their stories cannot be told without the other. Sebastian Woodroffe had spent much of his life searching for spiritualism before he found deep connection with Indigenous culture and their plant based medicines. He spent years watching Indigenous healers and learning more about himself by ingesting ayahuasca, he now hoped to help his family members as well. Maestro Olivia Arevalo Lomas was loved by her community, a highly respected and recognized shaman in the Peruvian Amazon, her family hosted many ayahuasca retreats in Peru and had been helping Sebastian on his journey. Things take a drastic turn after their relationship turns sour and a public confrontation leads to both of their deaths. Follow along as we discuss what happens when mob mentality takes over, and what does it truly mean to get justice for the murder of a loved one? The world is a very complex place, not everything, and especially not true crime, is always black or white, or as simple as good guy and bad guy. As we said in the ep, our hearts are with both of the victims families. Thanks for listening, we love you all and please take care of yourselves. Until next time keep it cryptic!
May 16 · 1 hr 31 min
213: The Contestant: The Murder of Ruth Thalia Sayas Sanchez
Hey cryptic crew, we return with Kelsey's Peru true crime case pick, the case of Ruth Thalia and the game show The Value of the Truth. Should have probably called it, the truth hurts and yes, it's a rough one. A popular game show had just premiered in Peru for the first time, having been successful in many other countries already. The nature of the game is asking the contestant many questions before the show, picking some of the most gotcha questions in the show. Designed to embarrass the person, or at least cause some drama, it sparked anger in some until her very life was taken. This tragic story is the first of our 2-part Peru double-feature, it ran long and so did Alanna's so that will be dropping within the week for you beautiful people! As always more bonus episodes available on Patreon.com for the low price of 2$ at our starting tier. We just put out a Missing Persons May bonus. Keep it Cryptic!
May 1 · 1 hr 49 min
212: Beltane and Walpurgisnacht Fire Festivals
It's gonna be May! Okay, okay, we shall cease and desist with the boy band GIFs and on to the show! All over Europe and other areas we celebrate May Day, Beltane, Walpurgis night, whatever you call it it's all about fire, coming together, and making babies! Or new life, shall we say, new beginnings. First spring has sprung. So we dive into some celebrations and traditions from Bavaria, Germany, Scandinavia, which mostly call it Walpurgis night or some variation, and celebrate a Saint, a She-saint in fact! Then we get into Beltane, the Celtic pagan holy day, and have some fun, fire and feasts with Goddesses and Green Men. Put on your flower crowns and grab a maypole for this festive, fertile, fire-filled episode! No Fire Fest Fiasco here my friends, just good times and good intentions! Happy May-ing! Sorry for the late posting, we are doing our best and putting up a new Patreon ep as well so watch out for that! Happy Listening!
April 17 · 1 hr 46 min
211: 420 Cannabis Cons + Pot Princesses
The Story of the Pot Princess of Beverly Hills and Other Weed Stories It’s the WEED-kend, my hot, high cannabis crew! Happy 420, in honor of all who celebrate we brought a collection of cannabis-related capers this time! Kelsey kicks us off with some anecdotes about people who took or toked or ate too many pot brownies, and hey, we’ve all been there! Everyone seems to have a story about edibles gone wild, and we have some other embarrassing revelations that people admit to. Think using your phone flashlight to look for your phone. Relatable, right? Covering Lisette Lee gets the gals giggling about stupid con artists and what you should never call your BFF, and big Justin Timberlake energy. This lady was a messy mean girl who inspired her former friend/assistant/drug mule to write a memoir with the longest subtitle we’ve ever seen! Bust out your brownies, it’s time to blaze it up with Cannabis Cons! PS. Enjoy Pat’s cackle caught on the outtakes and excuse any messiness by the end of the ep! We had fun and hope you do too! Darkcast Network Promo of the Week: The Final Trace podcast
April 5 · 2 hr 19 min
210: The Curse of Tippecanoe + Spill the Bee Tea, too!
This episode is just extra, sorry, not sorry! It’s extra-long, extra-cursed, and took us extra-long to get out on this long weekend, so a bit sorry ‘bout that part, to be fair! Kelsey covers a curse on US Presidents with many names caused by a long-ago battle with Shawnee people. The Curse of Tippecanoe, Tecumseh’s Curse and the Zero-year Curse are some of them, and the list of incidents and deaths is certainly one that’s going to need to simmer for sec. The assassination count alone is a lot, and George W and that grenade thing? Shocking stuff. From possible curse or conspiracy to the wonderful world of the honeybee! Through history they have loved to have us spill them all the tea. Or the booze, bees LOVE booze. The vibes of the hive are chatty and silly in this segment but people have been mad for honey for ages we learned. Some Saints did some weird stuff; honey was the remedy for every ailment from eyestrain to erectile dysfunction, and it makes great mead too. Side stories include cats who drool, are surprised by owls, ridiculously expensive scented candles, and rampant accusations of people and things being AI. Do you love bees too? Let us know and hope you enjoy this very buzzed episode! I got one bee pun! Darkcast Promo: Stop! Who Does That podcast
March 20 · 1 hr 57 min
209: Mass Murders + Killings sprees
So clearly this is a very sensitive topic, like most true crime, so please be aware this will contain mentions of child death, child sexual abuse and other very violent topics. No explicit details are included but be forewarned it's a rough one. "we observe, but we must not need absorb" about bearing witness to trauma survivors in crime cases. So first we learn about a William Cook from Kelsey, and he was born to a big family and grew up to be a man who made very poor choices. He had a terrible temper, a penchant for kidnapping instead of just carjacking, and had too many children, who surely hated their father. To make a semi-Minecraft reference, no his children did not, in fact, yearn for the mines. Who wants to live underground but worms, anyway? Alanna covers the Dunblane Massacre, a school massacre in 1990's Scotland that sent the small town and nation into grief. What causes such impulses, we discuss, and what effects must it have on a vulnerable section of people? our kids are prepped for everything from drunk driving to school shooting these days, and we wonder what the consequences on our mental health must be. But then also, we find the light that shines through the cracks sometimes, when Alanna messes up musical numbers NOT from Hamilton, etc. So tune in and clutch a stress toy if you can, such is the joy of life, and we love you for being here with us! Happy Listening and Keep it Cryptic! Darkcast Promos of the Week!: Murder Unscripted, Psychology of the Strange
March 6 · 1 hr 40 min
208: UK Cryptids & Creatures
We are back, back again (just like Kelsey's hearing and voice) and we are ready to dive into some lore about creatures around the UK. First we have British Flying Rods, known for their segmented and wavy motions, they move fast and are incredibly rare with only 2 known sightings. Next, Kelsey covers the Boneless, featuring the phrase "undulating mass of gelatinous flesh", it's a segment you don't want to miss. Alanna caps things off with Sam the Sandown Clown, a ghost clown who may or may not also be an alien or a robot. Listen to the strange encounter 2 kids had with Sam before he vanished forever and let us know what you think he is. Thanks for listening, head over to our Patreon to catch up on all our bonus eps and be sure to leave us a review. Until next time, keep it cryptic! This weeks promo is for Murder Shelf Book Club!
February 21 · 22 min
Ghost Stories of Alberta- A Haunted Minisode
Hey you lovely listeners, today we have a wee episode to tide you over while our co-host is on the mend. Alanna is reading some local ghost stories to you! To be fair, it's since she feels bad she switched topics and delayed recording, sorry! Send help lol. We pulled from the book by Barbara Smith, previously featured on the McKay Museum Hometown Haunts episode, so listen to that one too if you haven't( between ep 165-166 in the feed.) Smith has researched ghost stories and legends from all across the province, from Native warrior Chief spirit stories to haunted hotels. We hear about a haunted bookstore, The Banff Springs Hotel (which they deny is haunted but we know better, don't we?), a ghost arsonist captured on camera, and some Shining-style hotel ghosts. Let's get ghosting! If you want more Castles and Cryptids content, try our Patreon to support the show! Plug over now lol. Love you all and happy hauntings!
February 6 · 1 hr 39 min
207: Creepy Medieval Castles
It's been a minute since we did a castle haunt or horror, so here are two very cool, eerie castles to live up to our name! Quick into of obligatory bitch session and catch-up, this time we go on about annoying and aging bodies, can anyone relate to that? Taking meds with side effects and lucky if they don't hurt your damn liver! Side shout-out to a couple comments from last episode and we're off to Germany! Kelsey takes us to Eltz Castle, Wierschem, Germany, and it's long, long history that we skip over for the good parts. One medieval family lived here forever somehow, if only we had a mockumentary called Medieval Family! Ghosts, George R.R. Martin bashing, and stolen kisses com into conversation and that's normal for us. On to Bran Castle and Bram Stoker's Dracula. A tangential connection maybe, but Vlad Dracule has had our fascination for a long time too so we hope you don't mind the side quests into Dracula, haunts and a little history. Plus the great Question: Do you get impaled up the ass??Torso? do you all know?? Darkcast Promo of the Week: Love and Murder Podcast
January 23 · 1 hr 59 min
206: Fakes, Forgeries and Phonies
Hey cryptic cuties, hope your 2026 is treating you well and we are so excited to be back. We have a fun episode for you, diving into the fascinating world of counterfeiting, forgeries and replicas, featuring everything from the well done, all the way to the bizarre and laughable. Starting with the arrest of Frank Bourassa, Kelsey covers how a life of crime led one man on a path to printing millions and becoming named the world's greatest counterfeiter. Alanna closes out the ep with a collection of expensive forgeries that shook the world, as well as some failed restorations that made the 2 of us question if some things should just be left alone. Happy listening and catch up with you all next time! Join our patron for exclusive episodes, videos and even more banter and tangents! Darkcast spotlight: Box in the Basement
Dec 27, 2025 · 52 min
205: Telepathy Talk: Claims and Controversy
Happy Holidays, here is your second helping of psychic stuff! We love talking about parapsychology, and of course, we are not the only ones. So Alanna's topic of the day is telepathy; trying to test it, a brief history of our fascination with it, and into the most recent claims and controversies! After some minor Game of Thrones spoilers (its old, come on, it's ok ), we dig into some topics discussed on the Telepathy Tapes Podcast and the response to both it's popularity, and some pushback against it. So some spoilers for that podcast too, as we talk about how we can try and do better in testing in the future, and in education for people with special needs. We did our best to be respectful as we navigated this touchy subject, so please listen with care as well, as you all do! There's a mention of a banned Ted Talk, which can happen, we guess! Don't ban us lol, we are just asking some questions and trying to teach ourselves lol. Don't put us on the dark web! We love you all and hope you have a safe and Happy New Year!
Dec 12, 2025 · 59 min
204: Psi Phenomena: Premonition Man
Hello Cryptic Crew, and welcome back to our latest episode! This time its Kelsey's turn to deliver a curious case of a man who had some very prophetic dreams. Chris Robinson (not the one married to Amanda Knox, not to be confused with Canadian icon Christopher Robin either, you're welcome :) He was often accurate at predicting disasters like airplane crashes and received the information through dreams. He even had a working relationship with local police. Theories include other worldly guides giving him advance knowledge, but you be the judge! We like to try and keep our minds open, and don't forget the movie talk, has anyone else seen Tron: Ares lol or ... what are you all watching this season? Part two will be a dive into Telepathy Tests and Controversies too! Stay tuned, it's dropping soon as a Yule treat! Keep it Cryptic! Head to Patreon.com for bonus content monthly and a backlog of hundreds of hours of creepy and cool stories!
Nov 21, 2025 · 1 hr 49 min
203: Your Podcast on Drug Crimes
Welcome back, this week we dive into some drug-related crimes. Kelsey shares the scary tale of the Paraquat Vending Machine Murders in Japan- we are sad to say we'd never heard of it. A motive is nothing but senseless murder of strangers, so it's especially hard to fathom. So random. Then we move to the Canadian Maritimes where the story might be called Cocaine Plane, but it doesn't really get off the ground? It's been called the biggest drug bust in the country's history, but what really went down is more unexpected than we ever guessed. Tune in but party on responsibly with Drug Crimes. Oh did we mention Mounties and Mustaches, Canada's Country-wide fake Girlfriends and boyfriends alibis, and some facts about Pablo Escobar and his thwarted-New Brunswick jailbreak. Keep it Cocaine-free and cryptic!
Nov 14, 2025 · 2 hr 3 min
Soham Murders and Mini Crime Dioramas
This week is a Patreon Peek! We opened up the vault to give us some time to recover from some colds that can take down a host for a bit. But we love this episode, two very different takes on forensics, first a crimes solved with some, and then a teaching tool to solve killings with a unique twist. So Kelsey covers the Soham murders, so-called for the area of the crimes, and trigger warning for child violence. But Forensic science and botany would play a big role in the evidence in this case, key to solving it. Finally Alanna tells the tale of Frances Lee Glessner, A very smart woman who put her talents into re-creating crime scenes on a small scale for learning and training purposes. Her mini murder and unclassified death sequences were done to the most precise detail and the cases still kept secret for officers to learn from today. Thanks for your patience and we should be back next week, so Keep it Cryptic! Much love!

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