Storytelling
Astonishing Legends
Astonishing Legends Productions
The world is more mysterious than most people are comfortable imagining. We cross paths with the mystical from time to time and may not even notice it. If we do, we quickly return to our usually mundane daily existence. But what if we not only acknowledged the unknown, we investigated it and spoke with those in the know? That's what co-hosts Scott Philbrook & Forrest Burgess, and co-executive producer Tess Pfeifle do at Astonishing Legends. Over 100 million downloads and hundreds of thousands of listeners have discovered the thrill of exploring the mysteries of our world, showing that the unknown can be both captivating and intriguing. Welcome to Astonishing Legends!
7.2
96 min
0.05%
10 episodes
1
Important Announcement
1 min
311/18/2025Astonishing Legends and the Astonishing Dead Letter Office are on pause.
2
51: Spectral Hounds
45 min
311/18/2025In tonight’s dead letter… Luke recounts a spooky camping trip with his brother and father where they found themselves surrounded by something both canine and ethereal. Despite being experienced outdoorsmen, they’re unable to defend themselves against whatever is encircling their campsite as the leader of this pack of animals stares intently at them, and has no reaction to shots fired in self-defense. LINKS: The Tule River Indian Tribe https://tulerivertribe-nsn.gov/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tule_River_Indian_Tribe_of_the_Tule_River_Reservation Black Dog https://www.thebarkingbugle.co.uk/the-black-dog-of-east-anglia/ The Barghest https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barghest The Hellhound https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hellhound The Black Shuck https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Shuck Original Reddit Post https://www.reddit.com/r/Paranormal/comments/55mhg6/surrounded_by_translucent_coyotes/ The KLF 3AM Eternal https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3_a.m._Eternal MOVIE REFERENCES: Jacob’s Ladder https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacob's_Ladder_(1990_film) BOOK REFERENCES: Wild Talents: By Charles Fort https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wild_Talents_(book) The Silver Bridge (Collapse/Mothman Connection) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silver_Bridge PODCAST EPISODES: Let’s Not Meet https://letsnotmeetpodcast.com/ https://crypticcountypodcasts.com/ Radiolab: You Are Here https://www.radiolab.org/podcast/110165-you-are-here Astonishing Legends: Are We Ever Alone? https://open.spotify.com/episode/3nLvVgPmouZsTAnuxepPMo?si=7eb6d9be9f9b4c14 Astonishing Legends: The Sheriff and Outlaw Henry Plummer Part 1 https://open.spotify.com/episode/0aPODiXAQaJwg5GePi7039?si=78bc91b6c0e14a3a OUR SPONSOR: Rula patients typically pay $15 per session when using insurance. Connect with quality therapists and mental health experts who specialize in you at https://www.rula.com/dlo #rulapod Send YOUR story to deadletteroffice@astonishinglegends.com
3
The Mundrabilla Incident
128 min
311/18/2025In 1988, the Knowles family’s journey across Australia’s remote Nullarbor Plain turned into a nightmare, when in the pre-dawn hours of January 20th, they encountered a glowing, egg-shaped object that chased their car along the Eyre Highway. They claimed the light emitted a high-pitched hum, filled the car with a gray mist, and lifted the vehicle off the road before dropping it, blowing out a tire. Fleeing in terror, they found the car dented and covered in black dust. A police officer confirmed their distress, and a truck driver reported seeing strange lights in the same area. What attacked the Knowles family that night? This week, we take a look. Visit our website for a lot more information on this episode.
4
50: The Prisoner of Charleston (Dead Letter Office)
35 min
311/18/2025In tonight’s dead letter… Veronica takes a ghost tour of an old jail in Charleston, South Carolina and has an intense encounter with a spirit there. She's able to describe this man in detail and later discovers the spirit is that of William Marcus, who was hanged at the jail for the murder of his wife. The experience was terrifying and shaped Veronica's path in understanding and protecting herself from many more unseen things she has crossed paths with in her life since then. The photo of William Marcus is from Charleston News and Courier (published as The News and Courier.) - August 4, 1906 - page 8. LINKS: Facebook video where the video tour of the jail with the guide can be found, at 4:30 the image of William Marcus can be seen. https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=198368942110180&rdid=DOvyBA9NGT8WMtSY Stella Maris Catholic Church https://stellamarischurch.org/ American Ghost Walks (Tour Company) https://www.americanghostwalks.com/ ASTONISHING LEGENDS EPISODES MENTIONED: The Siren Call of Hungry Ghosts Part 1 https://open.spotify.com/episode/0R1h6Lw9GoAnMupP82zSrm?si=7f96f93019ef4976 The Vertical Plane Part 1 https://open.spotify.com/episode/69ynhhVF8UrVzI1OI4Rsoy?si=d266bf2f5e064ca2 Send YOUR story to deadletteroffice@astonishinglegends.com
5
The Mysterious Moving Coffins of Barbados
109 min
311/18/2025In the cemetery of Christ Church Parish Church in Barbados stands a half-buried stone crypt infamous for its early 19th-century mystery. Between 1807 and 1812, several heavy, lead-lined coffins were placed inside, but each time the vault was reopened, the caskets were found disturbed — despite the massive stone door being sealed tight with no sign of entry. Governor Lord Combermere investigated in 1819, sealing the vault with his stamp, and spreading sand to catch footprints, but when it was opened again, the coffins had once more been thrown into chaos with the seals unbroken and the sand untouched. The bodies were removed soon after, and the vault sealed again, its mystery still unsolved. Visit our website for a lot more information on this episode.
6
49: The Return of Evil Yoda
24 min
311/18/2025In tonight’s dead letter, listener Trevor recounts a bizarre encounter while looking out the window one night. He saw a strange, bald, meditating figure with long pointed ears in his friend’s backyard. The figure then opened its eyes, grinned at him with pointed teeth, and hopped away into the woods. Trevor’s evening began with taking the psychedelic drug mescaline, but he has some experience with it, and has never experienced something interactive like this. Trevor is plain about the fact that he had been under the influence earlier in the evening, and maybe that’s the reason for what he saw, but he does also wonder if the drug lifted a veil to reveal a real being, especially when he connected his story to an older episode of Astonishing Legends where a listener encountered something very similar, while awake and completely sober. LINKS: Astonishing Legends - “Your True Halloween Stories, Part 3” with Mallory’s Storyhttps://open.spotify.com/episode/5q6pnT9fOeVof8hNIndYYi?si=3e6b159e281c4ba9 DMT: The Spirit Moleculehttps://www.simonandschuster.com/books/DMT-The-Spirit-Molecule/Rick-Strassman/9780892819270 Terence McKenna analysis on the Podcast: Midnight, On Earth https://open.spotify.com/episode/5ogRYNa6kWF6CKyUIkcnUl?si=23uwRaoCRNuXnrTqhSXw5A https://www.organism.earth/library/document/what-ive-learned-from-psychedelics Dr. Steve G. Jones - Astral Projection Hypnosishttps://stevegjones.com/buy/hypnosis-mp3s/astral-projection-platinum-mp3/ Send your stories into deadletteroffice@astonishinglegends.com
7
48: Die Fratzen
27 min
311/18/2025In tonight’s dead letter… a listener shares their chilling encounters with "Die Fratzen," demonic faces that surfaced after a period of indulgence and self-disgust. These weren't just fleeting nightmares; they manifested as waking visions and doppelgangers, leading to a quest for spiritual help. The writer grapples with the possibility of mental health issues versus a genuine spiritual battle and how these experiences mirror those of Anneliese Michel, whom we covered a few years ago on Astonishing Legends. Links: Astonishing Legends: The Devil and Annaliese Michel P1 https://open.spotify.com/episode/5ZiRkT1ZfIyMBsUBAs1RDK?si=d044978fbf484d63 P2 https://open.spotify.com/episode/5k6UzW5Yku23D55QbcKGhl?si=cb39009d744f4dbd P3 https://open.spotify.com/episode/3NHYwTl94InnHYREWpE044?si=bc43d397273d4176 Astonishing Legends: Sarah and the Spider Woman https://open.spotify.com/episode/38UXYglzND21RcSLQiTk1M?si=4e6f381273b34557 Unsolved Mysteries: Don Decker https://unsolved.com/gallery/don-decker/ Paranormal Witness: Don Decker https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2090999/ Send your stories into deadletteroffice@astonishinglegends.com
8
The Screaming Skulls
97 min
311/18/2025Across England, legends tell of “screaming skulls,” which are human remains said to bring disaster if moved from their resting place. In Dorset, a skull defies removal with deadly consequences; in Derbyshire, “Dickie” halted a railway project; in Yorkshire, Anne’s head demanded to stay within her beloved home; and in Manchester, one cast into a moat unleashed a storm. Whether relics of Celtic head-worship, tools of folk medicine, or grim mementos of an age steeped in mortality, the stories agree on one rule: disturb the skulls at your peril. Visit our website for a lot more information on this episode.
9
47: The Lock Looker
39 min
311/18/2025In tonight’s Dead Letter, you’ll hear a bizarre tale from rural Ohio, one of our favorite strange states, involving a creature known only as the "Lock Looker." This cryptid, with its orangutan-like build, glowing orange eyes, and famous movie scream, lurks near a dam and has been sighted by both the storyteller and their father. It may have been around a while. Join Scott and Forrest as they briefly debate the pronunciation of Orangutan and also delve into this multi-generational mystery. LINKS: Shelby County Parks (Home of Lockington Reserve)https://shelbycopark.org/lockington-reserve University of Zurich - Orangutan Callshttps://www.iea.uzh.ch/en/research/orangutannetwork/orangutancallrepertoires.html The actual one we played: https://www.iea.uzh.ch/dam/jcr:00000000-7c6e-90e4-ffff-ffff84c61003/Ref_Crying_and_Screaming_Jeri.mp3 R2-D2 Sound Design https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=So0nmciiFJg Lyle Blackburnhttp://www.lyleblackburn.com/ Send your stories into deadletteroffice@astonishinglegends.com
10
Important Update
0 min
311/18/2025News from Scott and Forrest