The Devil’s Dirtstar

Episode 15: Dead Claw, Krampus

Content Warning: This podcast often uses explicit language and covers sensitive or distressing topics. It is NSFW. Listener discretion is advised.
Since the recording of this episode, we’ve partnered with Phantom Moon Collection! Visit her site and use the code DIRTLINGS for 15% off your order :) and find her online @phantom.mooncollection.
Dirtlings, you asked for this one, literally. Ellsworth devised a patron-poll with topics sure to ease us all into the winter months and Krampus won! Cozy up inside the Dirtstar with Ellie and Riley as we explore the dark and fascinating world of Krampus, the dark entity who bestows punishments to ill behaved children and his major comeback into mainstream media.
Ellie delves into the origins of this Christmas beast, his wild goat-like appearance, the sack he carries for naughty children (or a basket sometimes; both will transport you to Hell sufficiently) and the role of Krampus in the Advent season, terrorizing misbehaved kiddos while Saint Nicholas rewards the good ones with presents!
Riley reviews a top ten list of Krampus films and takes a deep dive into “Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale” (2010) from Jalmari Helander (listen, it’s Krampus adjacence, okay?) and Michael Dougherty’s hilarious dark comedy “Krampus” (2015). Major spoilers ahead everyone, you've been warned!
Check out episode sources, pictures, or any other goodies we may have found on our website.
This episode is sponsored by our magnificent Patrons: Tasha, BJ, Brian, Brent, and Katrina. You Dirtlings warm our dark little hearts!
Special thanks to our show sponsor, The Phantom Moon Collection. Phantom Moon Collection is a small business jewelry brand started by our incredible friend, Natasha.  Each piece is handmade with love, inspired by her favorite books, horror stories, and her three kitties, Bellatrix, Pumpkin, and Eevee. Use code DIRTLINGS for 15% off your order!
Reminder: We're hobbyists, not experts. Please approach the content of this episode with that in mind, we encourage you to do your own research. Remember, facts and statistics can be misinterpreted or misused. If you're an expert on a topic we cover, we welcome additional information or corrections via our contact form on our website. Happy listening!

After Hours: Vampyres and a Vile Would You Rather?

Content Warning: This podcast often uses explicit language and covers sensitive or distressing topics. It is NSFW. Listener discretion is advised.
There’s never a bad time to delve into the rich and chilling history of vampyres, amirite? Join your hosts Ellsworth and Big Spoon to explore what's lurking in the Dirtstar: ancient folklore and mythology from different cultures that gave birth to the concept of vampyres! Weird… what’s that doing in there?
Together, Ellie and Riley trace the evolution of these blood thirsty ghouls across time and geography, covering their humble beginnings, ‘brethren’ from various cultures, and a taste of some very important figures in vampyre lore such as Elizabeth Bathory and Vlad the Impaler, aka Dracula. We also discuss the modern interpretation of vampyres, examining their transformation from feared creatures of the night into romantic and tragic figures in pop culture. Fun!
Have no fear Dirtlings, we also cover enough ground rules regarding vampyre safety to get you from cradle to coffin without getting bitten like, even once if you’re careful. Ellie also gives us the most vile Would You Rather? to ponder. Yes, your answer will be wrong and nobody wins here, but we love a good challenge. 
Check out episode sources, pictures, or any other goodies we may have found on our website.
This episode is sponsored by strangeadornments.com, and by our amazing Patrons Tasha, BJ, Brian and Brent.
Give Michelle a follow @strangeadornments and check out her uniquely empowering jewelry; all pieces are ethically sourced and made with the wearer in mind and at heart.
Note: No vampyres or sandwiches were harmed during the making of this jewelry. If you know, you know.
Reminder: We're hobbyists, not experts. Please approach the content of this episode with that in mind, we encourage you to do your own research. Remember, facts and statistics can be misinterpreted or misused. If you're an expert on a topic we cover, we welcome additional information or corrections via our contact form on our website. Happy listening!

Episode 14: Suspicious Superstitions

Content Warning: This podcast often uses explicit language and covers sensitive or distressing topics. It is NSFW. Listener discretion is advised.
Dirtlings, whether you believe in them or not, we’re pretty sure all of us have cringed just a smidge when stepping on a crack or ‘accidentally’ smashing a mirror to smithereens. Join your hosts Ellsworth and Big Spoon as we travel to the southernmost regions of the Dirtstar to discuss some curious superstitions!
Riley will take ya’ll on a trip to the deep south to learn about modern traditions influenced by superstitions and lore from cultures around the world (there’s an interesting undertone of the color blue in these parts).
Ellie pulls us through the looking glass for a glimpse into the ancient history behind the mysticism and mythos of mirrors, as well as the very long line of cultures and people that gave our reflections so much power. Ellie also tells us a hair-raising story submission from a Dirtling who had some very timely paranormal events happen to them after delving into esoteric writings such as Chaos Magick, the works of Aleister Crowley (Thelema) and more. You’re going to want to hear this one, Dirtlings; it’s nightmare fuel!
To cap this spirit bottle off, we get a Terrible Ellsworth Would You Rather to ponder, sending us into a near existential crisis. Dirtlings, let us know what choice you would make and if you’d bring a fellow Dirtling along for the ride!
Check out episode sources, pictures, or any other goodies we may have found on our website.
This episode is sponsored by strangeadornments.com, and by our amazing Patrons Tasha, BJ, Brian and Brent.
Give Michelle a follow @strangeadornments and check out her uniquely empowering jewelry; all pieces are ethically sourced and made with the wearer in mind and at heart.
Note: No spirits were trapped in bottles to be sent down river in the making of this jewelry…
…but I can’t make any promises about spirits of the distilled variety; those are supposed to be buried at the cemetery, right?
Reminder: We're hobbyists, not experts. Please approach the content of this episode with that in mind, we encourage you to do your own research. Remember, facts and statistics can be misinterpreted or misused. If you're an expert on a topic we cover, we welcome additional information or corrections via our contact form on our website. Happy listening!

Halloween Hangover: Getting Witchy With It

Content Warning: This podcast often uses explicit language and covers sensitive or distressing topics. It is NSFW. Listener discretion is advised.
Dirtlings, we just can’t help ourselves: there’s one more topic we needed to sneak in for spooky season! The Devil’s Dirtstar is combining forces with Kinsey from The Good Old Days to uncover some truly intense and lesser known accounts of witch hunts and their subsequent trials throughout European History. Trust us when we tell you that the Salem Witch Trials were nearly a drop in the bucket in comparison! 
To follow up, and Big Spoon (Riley) will spill the witch’s brew on how selling magick in any form online is super hard nowadays unless you know the loopholes and Ellsworth (Ellie) will dive into some current and horrific stories of witchcraft related criminal investigations plaguing the modern day world. 
Oh, the good old days!
Check out our website for links, pictures, or anything else interesting we may have found!
Hey Dirtlings, Big Spoon here: I’m tellin’ you, go check out Kinsey and Ellie’s podcast The Good Old Days! It’s a hilarious journey into the past about all things absurd with the recommended dose of bizarre and is jam-packed with tales that are sure to leave you in stitches from the intriguing world of dark history!
You can find everything you could want and more from The Good Old Days here:
https://linktr.ee/ohthegod
Go on now, you know you want to!
Reminder: We're hobbyists, not experts. Please approach the content of this episode with that in mind, we encourage you to do your own research. Remember, facts and statistics can be misinterpreted or misused. If you're an expert on a topic we cover, we welcome additional information or corrections via our contact form on our website. Happy listening!

The Thinned Veil: Interview with Intuitive Psychic, Christopher Byrne

Content Warning: This podcast often uses explicit language and covers sensitive or distressing topics. It is NSFW. Listener discretion is advised.
Happy Halloween, Dirtlings! 
In today’s episode, Ellsworth and Big Spoon are interviewing a very special guest: Christopher Byrne! Not only is he a Spiritual Minister and Advisor but also a Life Coach, Energy Healer and  Psychic Intuitive Medium. Chris is going to take us on the journey of learning about his extrasensory abilities, how being an intuitive has impacted his life along with hundreds of others worldwide (pretty sure it’s actually thousands at this point), how his abilities has and can help people struggling with their spiritual identity and handling grief, the tools used to get in touch with the proverbial Other Side or beyond and what it truly means to be absolute spirit magnet.
However you choose to celebrate this 2,000 year old tradition, whether it’s with lots of great candy (wrapped only, Dirtlings), delicious food, beautiful bonfire rituals, epic costumes, ceremonial robes or even just tried and true great company with some scary movies, we wish you all a very safe, spooky and Merry Samhain… Hey, what’s that behind you?!
Hahahaha, gotcha Dirtling!!!
Here’s where you can find Chris for some spicy therapy:
Chris Byrne Upheld Psychic
upheldpsychic@gmail.com
Looking for any extra details, photos, and sources? Find them on our website.
This episode is sponsored by strangeadornments.com
Give Michelle a follow @strangeadornments and check out her uniquely empowering jewelry; all pieces are ethically sourced and made with the wearer in mind and at heart.
Note: Ouija boards were not used to open portals during the making of this jewelry…
Ellie and Riley already opened the portal as teenagers. Go ahead, ask us how that went.
Reminder: We're hobbyists, not experts. Please approach the content of this episode with that in mind, we encourage you to do your own research. Remember, facts and statistics can be misinterpreted or misused. If you're an expert on a topic we cover, we welcome additional information or corrections via our contact form on our website. Happy listening!

Episode 13: The Halloween Franchise

Content Warning: This podcast often uses explicit language and covers sensitive or distressing topics. It is NSFW. Listener discretion is advised.
An extra long episode for our most precious friend's birthday (you know who you are!)
WARNING: 40 YEARS WORTH OF SPOILERS AHEAD
Dirtlings, sometimes best laid plans go off the rails and down a mine shaft. Our chill and spooky After Hours episode turned into a deep dive of the Halloween movie franchise! Follow your hosts Ellsworth and Big Spoon headfirst down the Dirtstar to learn about one of the scariest horror villains of all time: Michael Myers.
Riley is going to cover the ‘machete cut’ version of the movie timeline spanning a horrifying forty years of stabbery and unlucky babysitters while Ellie clocks every wild plot hole (despite confusing Jason Voorhees for Michael Myers), yet we still somehow make sense of it all in the end. She also has some stellar Halloween jokes for you to share with other fellow Dirtlings at a party of your choosing, some epic movies and series you NEED to check out during spooky season and of course, Ellie tops off the episode with a terrible Ellsworth Would You Rather.
Don’t worry Dirtlings, we promise to cover hair-raising urban legends in an ACTUAL After Hours!
Check out episode sources, pictures, or any other goodies we may have found on our website.
This episode is sponsored by strangeadornments.com, and by our amazing Patrons Tasha, BJ, and Brian.
Give Michelle a follow @strangeadornments and check out her uniquely empowering jewelry; all pieces are ethically sourced and made with the wearer in mind and at heart.
Note: no babysitters were harmed in the making of this jewelry…
I need a verbal ‘yes’ on that one, Michelle. Thanks in advance.
Reminder: We're hobbyists, not experts. Please approach the content of this episode with that in mind, we encourage you to do your own research. Remember, facts and statistics can be misinterpreted or misused. If you're an expert on a topic we cover, we welcome additional information or corrections via our contact form on our website. Happy listening!

Episode 12: Ermahgerd, Hernterd Derlls (The Doll Episode)

Content Warning: This podcast often uses explicit language and covers sensitive or distressing topics. It is NSFW. Listener discretion is advised.
WARNING: LISTENER AND VIEWER DISCRETION IS ADVISED. WE ARE COVERING TOPICS THAT MAY OR MAY NOT CAUSE PHYSICAL REACTIONS OR MANIFESTATIONS. THE MIND IS A POWERFUL THING BUT SO ARE THESE DOLLS (ALLEGEDLY).
Dirtlings, for this episode we both took one for the team. Join your hosts Ellsworth and Big Spoon far inside the Dirtstar and dip your toes into the world of HAUNTED DOLLS. Yup, that's right: Riley braved researching PERGER DA DERL to learn how one of the spirits inhabiting her tries to torment not only the owner, but also anyone viewing Pegs from their computer screen. She’ll also tell you how to snag a meet and greet with this haunted doll who now resides with none other than Zak Bagans at The Haunted Museum in Downtown Las Vegas.
Ellsworth doubles down on why dolls can be absolutely horrifying by diving into the history of America’s most beloved haunted doll, Annabelle, who is the real life scary-as-hell Raggedy Ann Doll from The Conjuring Universe. Ellie will detail the dangerous escalation of Annabelle starting with what seems like odd but harmless mischief, to traumatizing ordeals and eventually the death of someone who dared to mock her at Ed and Lorraine Warren’s Occult Museum in Monroe Connecticut. Don’t worry about their museum being closed to the public; Ellie will tell you how to hunt down Annebelle thanks to Ed and Lorraine’s son in law Tony Spera who takes her to paranormal conventions. Yes, Dirtlings. There’s definitely going to be a waiver for you to sign.
Check out pictures, our sources, and any other goodies we may have found on our website.
This episode is sponsored by strangeadornments.com
Give Michelle a follow @strangeadornments and check out her uniquely empowering jewelry; all pieces are ethically sourced and made with the wearer in mind and at heart.
Note: no dolls or paranormal investigators were harmed in the making of this jewelry…
…supposedly.
Reminder: We're hobbyists, not experts. Please approach the content of this episode with that in mind, we encourage you to do your own research. Remember, facts and statistics can be misinterpreted or misused. If you're an expert on a topic we cover, we welcome additional information or corrections via our contact form on our website. Happy listening!

Episode 11: Wash Your Hands, Ya Filthy Animals

Content Warning: This podcast often uses explicit language and covers sensitive or distressing topics. It is NSFW. Listener discretion is advised.
It’s spooky season Dirtlings and you want to know what is way more scary than monsters? 
Germs, Dirtlings. The answer is germs.
Join Ellsworth and Big Spoon as we head into the Dirtstar to learn about pathogens that can cause severe illness in some and death in others! Ellie will teach us about Ignaz Sammelweis, a Hungarian physician who suspected that bacteria from autopsies was being spread to mothers about to hatch a baby or two by their doctors (ya know, the ones also messing around in the corpses) and his troublesome journey to being believed by his peers, mental health struggles and his untimely demise caused by the very thing he was trying to prove.
Riley will teach us about Mary Mallon, aka “Typhoid Mary”, a perfect example of how lacking good hand hygiene can kill your bosses family and your co-workers (don’t get any ideas, now). Riley will also discuss in depth why Mary was set up for failure; being a poor Irish immigrant simply trying to stay above the poverty line, forced isolation and lots of mentions about handmade peach ice cream.
And remember Dirtlings: Stay Dirty but wash your hands, ya filthy animals.
Check out pictures, our sources, and any other goodies we may have found on our website.
This episode is brought to you by  www.strangeadornments.com
Give Michelle a follow @strangeadornments and check out her uniquely empowering jewelry; all pieces are ethically sourced and made with the wearer in mind and at heart…
NOTE: no peach ice cream or mothers were harmed in the making of this jewelry, I guess?
Reminder: We're hobbyists, not experts. Please approach the content of this episode with that in mind, we encourage you to do your own research. Remember, facts and statistics can be misinterpreted or misused. If you're an expert on a topic we cover, we welcome additional information or corrections via our contact form on our website. Happy listening!