Merlin: He was never the friendly bearded wizard. He was a demon-blooded wild man who spoke like an old king as a child, fled into Caledonian forests after slaughter, and returned to topple castles with dragon prophecy. How did one mad seer engineer Arthur’s birth, move Stonehenge, and teach magic to Morgan, yet still get outplayed by his own student? In this episode, we chase the earliest, darkest Merlin: shapeshifter, trickster, king-maker, and casualty of love. Listen to the riddles, and decide whether Merlin saved Britain or cursed it. Plus, the nun, the sea-spirit rumor, and the prison of stone. Explore more myths and wonders by visiting godsandmonsters.info. Join our free community for a daily dose of mythology at our Substack!

Tonight, we’re flying to Bali after dark, where the monsters don’t bother scratching at your window, they skip straight to tearing their own heads free. Meet the Leyak: a human sorcerer by day, a flying, entrail-draped predator by night, hunting graves, cradles, and the thin places between worlds. We’ll walk the village roads, visit Rangda’s death temple, and follow the whispers that blame every strange illness on unseen teeth. Is the Leyak a cautionary tale about power, or a warning that evil wears ordinary faces? Bring a light. It won’t help. But you’ll feel better holding it, for a little while. Explore more myths and wonders by visiting godsandmonsters.info. Join our free community for a daily dose of mythology at our Substack!

Who leads a revolution when the gods stay silent and the princes look away? In this episode, we follow Kaveh the Blacksmith, an ordinary craftsman whose grief over his murdered sons ignites an uprising against the serpent-shouldered tyrant Zahāk. From a torn leather apron raised as a banner to the mountain refuge where a future king waits, Kaveh’s story traces how raw rage becomes a symbol claimed by empires, rebels, and Kurds alike. This is not a tale of chosen heroes, but of people who decide that fear has had the last word for long enough, in myth and memory.

What happens when you break the rules of the Jogah—the mysterious “little people” of Iroquois legend? Slip between worlds as we follow the clues: strange circles in the dirt, laughter from the shadows, and offerings left in secret bowls. Meet the Gahongas who toss boulders for fun, the Gandayah who bless or blight your harvest, and the Ohdows guarding the world below. Mischief, luck, and cosmic order all hang in the balance. This episode explores the powers, rituals, and dangers of the Jogah, and asks: would you recognize the warning signs before it’s too late? Explore more myths and wonders by visiting godsandmonsters.info. Join our free community for a daily dose of mythology at our Substack!

Before there was Zeus or Thor, there was Indra, the thunder-armed king who rode storms and drank deep from the sacred soma. He shattered a world-sized serpent to bring the rains and reveled in the chaos of gods and mortals alike. This episode plunges into Indra’s wildest victories, his flaws, and the brawling, irresistible energy that kept him alive across Asia’s myths. Meet the storm-maker who became a legend, a cautionary tale, and proof that no king—no matter how loud his thunder—can outrun his own shadow. Step into the tempest and hear the heart of the monsoon. Explore more myths and wonders by visiting godsandmonsters.info. Join our free community for a daily dose of mythology at our Substack!

Slip beyond the campfire’s edge and into the oldest shadows of North American folklore, where the Hidebehind lurks just out of sight. No one’s ever seen its face, but its legend haunts every whisper of wind between the pines. What stalks those who wander alone in the woods? Why does a swig of whiskey keep it at bay? From vanished lumberjacks to wild tales of midnight encounters, this episode unpacks the chilling myth engineered to explain the things we fear—and can’t quite catch. Keep your nerves—and your flask—close. In these woods, something is always watching from behind. Explore more myths and wonders by visiting godsandmonsters.info. Join our free community for a daily dose of mythology at our Substack!

Gello is the nightmare lurking just out of sight—a shapeshifting demon blamed for centuries of lost children, sudden illness, and heartbreak in Greek legend. Once a wronged young woman, Gello returns from death as a relentless spirit, haunting cradles and mothers’ dreams, her power growing with every fearful whisper. Saints, exorcists, and desperate parents fought her with charms, prayers, and secret names, but she always slips away, evolving with each age. This episode traces Gello’s tangled origins, her ties to witches and Eastern demons, and the enduring fear she embodies: the terror of hope stolen in the night. Explore more myths and wonders by visiting godsandmonsters.info. Join our free community for a daily dose of mythology at our Substack!

Step into the shadowlands of Irish and Northern European folklore, where the Fetch walks—a silent double, eerily familiar yet never quite right. This ghostly omen isn’t here to haunt or harm. It stands as a living echo, bringing the cold certainty of death’s approach without malice or judgment. From mist-shrouded legends to modern tales, the Fetch refuses explanation—a riddle, a warning, a portrait of endings. Why does its arrival chill the blood? What does it mean to meet yourself at the edge of fate? In this episode, we confront the mythic double who appears not to destroy, but to announce. Explore more myths and wonders by visiting godsandmonsters.info. Join our free community for a daily dose of mythology at our Substack!

Enter the legend-haunted graveyards of Ireland, where the Enfield—part fox, eagle, greyhound, lion, and wolf—stands silent guard. More than a mythic patchwork, this fierce protector has shielded the heroes of Celtic lore and left its mark on banners and tombs from medieval battlefields to modern-day towns. Discover how the Enfield became a badge of honor for the O’Kellys, a sentinel at the boundary between worlds, and a symbol of loyalty that outlasts death. In a world quick to forget its heroes, the Enfield keeps watch—sharp-eyed, loyal, and absolutely unafraid of the dark. Explore more myths and wonders by visiting godsandmonsters.info. Join our free community for a daily dose of mythology at our Substack!

Journey into the midnight Balkans, where ancient roads hide secrets and the line between living and dead blurs. This episode unearths the legend of the Dhampir—a half-vampire, half-human born of uneasy unions and buried hungers. Discover why this figure, neither monster nor man, haunted old villages as both hunter and outcast. We’ll explore bizarre folklore, uncanny powers, and the curse of seeing what others can’t. From cryptic signs to modern pop culture, the Dhampir remains a mystery that refuses to die. Join us as we walk the shadowy path between myth and memory. Explore more myths and wonders by visiting godsandmonsters.info. Join our free community for a daily dose of mythology at our Substack!

At the twilight shore where all mortals arrive, Charon waits—the underworld’s ferryman, neither god nor monster, but the weary rower of souls. Born of shadow, bound to the Acheron or Styx, he demands payment: a single coin, or centuries stranded on the bank. In Greek art he is a workman, in Roman vision a ghoul, later an icon of decay or skeletal death itself—but always inevitable. Heroes like Heracles and Orpheus briefly trick or charm him, yet for everyone else, his skiff is the only passage. Charon doesn’t judge, doesn’t save. He rows. And he always will. Explore more myths and wonders by visiting godsandmonsters.info. Join our free community for a daily dose of mythology at our Substack!

Baal is the storm god with a thousand faces—lord of thunder, master of rain, kingmaker, and shape-shifter who haunts the ancient Levant. His myth is a cycle of death and rebirth, thunder and drought, always on the knife-edge between power and defeat. Farmers, sailors, and kings all turned to him when survival hung on the weather’s whim. Yet Baal’s story is no simple legend: he was worshipped, reviled, transformed into a demon, and survives in memory long after his temples fell. This episode dives into the riddle of Baal—the god who refused to be forgotten, even by history itself. Explore more myths and wonders by visiting godsandmonsters.info. Join our free community for a daily dose of mythology at our Substack!

Meet the Acephali, the headless ones of African legend: walkers with eyes and mouths in their chests, voices rising where most keep a heart. Mapmakers and scholars placed them on the edges of Egypt, Libya, Nubia, and Ethiopia, while Rome called them Blemmyes. Their cousins appear across Asia in tales of Kabandha and Xingtian. Not mere monsters, they guard the border between known and unknown, a challenge to certainty. Hear the story of Almon, who sang stones to tears, and explore powers, flaws, and meanings that linger in woodcarvings, old maps, and Shakespeare. The world stays stranger than our stories. Explore more myths and wonders by visiting godsandmonsters.info. Join our free community for a daily dose of mythology at our Substack!

A creature so vast it can block out the sun, the Ziz is a mythical bird whose wings stretch across the heavens, protecting the world from scorching winds. This colossal, shadow-casting guardian lives between myth and reality, often glimpsed in the form of towering shadows and half-remembered tales. Sailors have nearly drowned in its wake, and its eggs are said to cause destruction on a cosmic scale. Yet, this bird isn’t just about size—its celestial music and role in the end of days weave it into the fabric of the universe. Discover the Ziz’s story, from its towering presence to its cosmic purpose, in this episode. Explore more myths and wonders by visiting godsandmonsters.info. Join our free community for a daily dose of mythology at our Substack!

In the heart of ancient myth, Yama stands as the god of death—unflinching, unhurried, and the first to step beyond the mortal coil. But Yama is no monster of the underworld; he is a sovereign of balance, presiding over Naraka, a vast court where justice is the law, and souls are judged by their deeds alone. With his faithful dogs by his side, Yama watches over the endless procession of life’s end, his noose gathering souls not with cruelty, but with a calm inevitability. In this episode, explore the myth of Yama, the origin of death itself, and the intricate web of his cosmic role—where even gods are bound by fate, and the journey continues beyond the door he guards. Explore more myths and wonders by visiting godsandmonsters.info. Join our free community for a daily dose of mythology at our Substack!

In the heart of Aztec mythology lies Xiuhcoatl, the Fire Serpent—an embodiment of both creation and destruction. This fiery creature, more than just a symbol, is the living, breathing force that shapes the cycles of time and the fate of gods. With a body marked by fire and blood, it serves as a weapon for the sun god Huitzilopochtli, driving away darkness and enemies alike. But Xiuhcoatl is not merely a tool—it is a force that demands sacrifice and leaves no room for complacency. In this episode, we explore the mythic serpent’s origins, its role in the cosmic struggle, and the sacrifices required to wield such dangerous power. Discover how the Aztecs saw the delicate balance between fire’s gift and its deadly hunger, and why Xiuhcoatl was both revered and feared in equal measure. Explore more myths and wonders by visiting godsandmonsters.info. Join our free community for a daily dose of mythology at our Substack!

In the shadowed corners of ancient Germanic lands, where forests press close and rivers whisper old secrets, a creature of unimaginable size and silent malice waits. The wyrm—neither dragon nor serpent in the conventional sense—embodies an ancient terror. Patient, armored in iron-like scales, and drawn to gold and greed, the wyrm is both a guardian and a curse. It slumbers beneath the earth, a living symbol of the costs of ambition. Discover how this mythological beast isn’t just a monster, but a force that shapes destinies and drives men to madness. From Beowulf's final battle to Sigurd's ill-fated victory, the wyrm is always present, a silent force waiting to strike. Prepare to face the wyrm's venomous bite—where every victory carries a price. Explore more myths and wonders by visiting godsandmonsters.info. Join our free community for a daily dose of mythology at our Substack!

In the clash of steel and the roar of battle, the valkyrie rides—an otherworldly figure, neither fully goddess nor mortal. With eyes that pierce fate itself, she decides who will fall and who will rise, guiding the chosen warriors to Odin’s hall in the afterlife. But behind her fierce reputation lies a complex figure: a lover, a defier of gods, and a fate-spinner whose passions often lead to heroism or ruin. Join us as we explore the many faces of the valkyrie—warrior, lover, and executioner—and uncover the secrets of these mystical women who wield power over life and death. Explore more myths and wonders by visiting godsandmonsters.info. Join our free community for a daily dose of mythology at our Substack!

A haunting figure emerges from the fog by the river, a woman cloaked in grief and desperation, clutching a child to her chest. But beneath the illusion of motherhood lies something far darker: the ubume, a yokai born from the agony of death in childbirth. This vengeful spirit lures travelers with a child that grows impossibly heavy or becomes a cruel trick, turning their sympathy into suffering. In this episode, we explore the many faces of the ubume, from her sorrowful origins to her eerie encounters, and uncover the ways to survive the chilling grip of a mother’s unfinished promise. Explore more myths and wonders by visiting godsandmonsters.info. Join our free community for a daily dose of mythology at our Substack!

Tiamat, the primordial sea, was both mother and monster, giving birth to the gods before her grief turned to wrath. When her own children betrayed her, she rose not as a nurturer but as an avenger, creating terrible beasts to unmake creation itself. Marduk, the storm-god, challenged her in a battle that would reshape the universe. With weapons of wind and thunder, he tore Tiamat asunder, her body becoming the world as we know it. But what does it mean when the first mother is destroyed? Discover the ancient myth that explains the chaos, creation, and cosmic price of life itself. Explore more myths and wonders by visiting godsandmonsters.info. Join our free community for a daily dose of mythology at our Substack!