Roland Doe and the True Story of the St. Louis Exorcism

by Jodie Bares

In the winter of 1973, audiences flocked to local movie theaters to see a horror movie about a little girl being possessed by the Devil and the men that were in charge of casting out the said demon.  However, what if I were to tell you that The Exorcist was not just creative story telling by Hollywood screenwriters; but was indeed based in fact?  The film, which was first released as a novel written by William Peter Blatty in 1971, was inspired by a true story of the demonic possession of Roland Doe (the alias media and other publications have used when discussing the story) and the men that were responsible for exterminating the evil dwelling inside him.

Hunting Cryptids ‘Round the World: Russia and Slovakia Regions

by Jodie Bares

Welcome back to another edition of Hunting Cryptids ‘Round the World.  We are now turning our attention to Russia and its former territories when it was the Soviet Union.  I have decided to lump these two regions together since the following Cryptids are reported in all these countries. So, what do these places have in store for us?  Let’s not waste any time and dive further.

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Bigfoot is a huge deal in the Cryptid world, and if you are a true believer, you might have the best shot at seeing one in these countries.

Hunting Cryptids ‘Round the World: Japan

by Jodie Bares

What do you think of when someone says “Japan?”  Most would probably say Sushi, Godzilla, Anime, kimono, shrine, or Sumo. There is so much more to Japan than just pop culture and amazing food.  Believe it or not, Japan has tales of Cryptids and other supernatural things, just as our own culture does. Throughout this new series, we will be looking at some of the better-known creatures and beings, and show how they relate to our own American unknowns. 

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Probably the best well known cryptid that comes from the world of Japanese superstition is the Kappa.

Shadow Chat: Sizing Up the Cosmic Elephant

Welcome to the first installment of SHADOW CHAT, one of several new features we're rolling out here, on the SHADOW POKERS blog. SHADOW CHAT lets you read, comment, and be part of one of the many conversations that happen behind-the-scenes between our members here at SHADOW HQ.

Craig: Ryan Skinner just dropped this bomb (edit: via the Skinwalker Ranch Facebook group):

“Just learned a bombshell piece of information that you will likely hear about at some future point in the new york times. Apparently the metals recovered are completely made of known earth alloys, however what is interesting is its design on a molecular level is arranged in such a complex way that NOTHING we have at this level of technological advancement is even remotely capable of replicating.... the implication was that is was "man made"....just not by any current tech process. You fill in the blanks.”

Do Spirits Really Visit Us in Our Dreams? Part 2

by Jodie Bares

So last week, I began telling you about how to tell if you have had visitations in your sleep from your deceased loved ones and friends. Then I shared an example of how my grandfather’s spirit talked me out of suicide. Pretty heavy subject matter, I know.  This week I am going to continue the subject with a few more visitations I’ve had in my dreams. I’d like to say that the stories will be much lighter but, let’s face it, when dealing with death, it always has an air of sadness to it.